To Meet Again
by Night-Mare-Chan
Summary: When Mitsukake meets Shouka again...will everything go as he hopes? *Reincarnation fic*
1. Jason

To Meet Again

Part 1:

Jason

~~

Knote: This is not canon. Although some stuff is. A hint for reading this story. Assume nothing. Expect anything. Bear in mind that I'm a MITSUKAKE freak so a lot of my fics tend to have MITSUKAKE as a main character. Hint hint.

~~~

        Things were, as always, far from perfect. Jason sat back in the metal chair and massaged his head with his hand. Bills lay on the table before him; spread so thick he could hardly see the brown plastic underneath. A crumpled ball of paper sat on top of the heap. He straightened it slowly. A bright yellow sun bearing sunglasses smiled at him from one corner of the perky stationary. The messy, childlike cursive sprawled down the neat little blue lines. He leaned his elbow on the table and rested his head in his hand. 

            Dear Jason,

            You are a very sweet man. You're warm and kind and I'm sure that you'll meet someone very special someday. It's not that I don't like you. It's just that I need some space. I borrowed some money by the way, I'm sure you don't mind. After all your parents are rich. 

            Luv u 4ever! 

            Danielle 

            The date in the left hand corner said it was October third. Had it really been four months?  He flung the paper away from him and rested his forehead on the table, closing his eyes tightly. Danielle's face appeared in his mind. Jason clenched his teeth and tried to make it disappear. Three years. Three solid years they had dated. And then suddenly…this…

            He shot to his feet, the metal chair falling to the floor with a satisfying crash. Stomping to his room, he snatched the shoe box from under the bed and upended it on the mattress. Letter after letter cascaded on to the bed. At least twenty in all. All starting with 'Dear Jason'. Tears stung his dry, sleep deprived eyes and he gulped heavilly to keep them back. Danielle, Jessie, Ashley… Every single damned relationship since he was fifteen. Jason slumped on the floor beside the bed and dropped his head back closing his eyes. Maybe if he staid here long enough, the world would just disappear. As if to mock him there were three sharp raps on the door.  

            "Go away," he said, knowing it was useless. Only one idiot knocked like that. The door slammed open as he knew it would and booted feet stomped a few times on the mat, then clunked their way to the bedroom, pausing for a second at what he knew was the kitchen. 

            The light flicked on and he could _feel _the disapproving stare.

            "Don't you know it's rude to barge into other people's homes?"

            "Jason Murphy Michaels if you get your electricity shut off again I'm going to kill you."   Jason opened one eye and looked at the slim frame of his best friend. He was fairly tall, but unlike Jason, his skin looked like it hadn't quite caught up with his bones. It was obvious he was young, but the eyes that shone from the thin face radiated maturity. That maturity showed in often annoying ways. Especially when he treated Jason like a kid while he himself was ten years younger. 

            "You're going to kill me? With what? Those skinny arms of yours couldn't even lift a butter knife."  Duncan rolled his eyes and shed his heavy jacket, hooded sweatshirt, woolen sweater and blazing orange scarf. He wore another sweater under that which he kept on and, Jason was willing to bet, at least three layers of shirts. Duncan retained heat like a sieve retained water.  

Duncan took a handkerchief out of his pant's pocket and wiped the dust off the top of the dresser. Then laid his discarded clothes on the top of it, folded up the handkerchief and put it in his pocket.

            "Has anyone ever told you that you have a problem?" Jason said. Sea green eyes flicked from Jason to the bed and filled with concern. 

            "Don't tell me you're looking at those stupid letters again."  Jason grunted and closed his eye. Lecture time.

            "It's been four months now. You're making everyone worried. You don't answer calls. You don't even go out except to work."

            "And food shopping."  

Duncan sighed and Jason felt a hand on his shoulder. "The point is, you need to get out more."  

The older man scowled. "Get out and what? Meet another Danielle and get my heart smashed? Oh that's sounds pleasant. You're such a great friend." 

            "That's not what I meant and you know it." His voice sounded hurt. Jason sighed and nodded. He flopped his head back again and stared at the ceiling. There was a wet spot on the ceiling right above the bed. Figured. 

            "I know… I'm sorry.  It's just…it always happens. I always let myself get hurt."  Duncan gingerly sat, as if he were afraid the floor would bite him. 

            "Ugh…this is filthy…how often do you clean?"  The corner of Jason's mouth twitched up. Duncan was a neat freak, born and bred. 

            "You should see the dust elephants." 

            "I wouldn't doubt it. Here, why don't I just get the broom and-" Duncan started to stand. Jason grabbed his arm and pulled him back down again.

            "How about not."  

            "Oh…very well. But if you get anything shut off…and I mean anything…I'm coming over here and cleaning this house from top to bottom and I mean it." 

            "I'm so threatened. Not that I mind you rudely barging in here…but why did you come?"  

            "Ugh…and your clothes! I'm surprised they haven't walked out the door. How do you stand it?" Jason lifted his head and gave his friend a glare. The twenty-year-old didn't seem to notice. 

            "And your dishes are dirty too. What are you trying to do, breed mold? If so, you're doing a remarkably good job."  Jason poked him hard in the ribs. Duncan yelped and fixed him with a puppy dog look, rubbing his injured side.

            "What do you do that for?"

            "Did you come over to see how I was doing or criticize my housekeeping?"  Duncan raised light brown eyebrows.

            "You call this keeping? Furthermore you call this a house? I've seen bigger cardboard boxes." 

            "Don't make me poke you again," Jason said, waving his index finger threateningly. Duncan rolled his eyes. 

            "Well I hate to run…but I have a lecture in half an hour and I'm running a little late."

"Why did you come over?"  Duncan shot him with a 'why do you think' look. Jason nodded. He didn't like making people worried but…

"I came over to prove that I was right," Duncan said, standing and brushing off the back of his jeans, cringing at the imaginary dirt.

"About what?"

"You are officially pathetic."

            "Oh thank you…so much," Jason said dryly. 

            "Seriously though. You really should get out more. Nick is coming over for a week or two. He's going to go ballistic if he finds out how you're living so you'd better shape up before he gets here."

            "All the way from France?" Jason asked incredulously. Duncan nodded.

            "He's bringing one of his friends."

            "Oh yeah? What kind of 'friend'?"  There was a pause as Duncan disappeared inside a sweatshirt. When his head had poked out he procured a comb out of somewhere and combed his short chestnut hair back into place. As if it really needed it.  Even a tornado couldn't mess up Duncan's perfect hair.

            "Who knows? Nicky has a lot of friends…" 

            "Not all of which follow the straight and narrow." 

            "Very good pun. You want a medal or a maid? I'd suggest the maid…really."

            "Get out of here," Jason said, lobbing a nearby sock at him. Duncan took an exaggerated step back, even though the sock wasn't even close to hitting him. 

            "I'm going to call you tomorrow Jason, and if you don't answer I'm coming over. I mean it."  Without another word, Duncan spun on his heel and stomped back out of the room. Jason couldn't help but chuckle. He walked as if his snow boots weighed twenty pounds each. The door opened and closed, a little too loudly. Jason kept his ears open. Duncan could be a quiet little booger when he wanted, twenty pound snow boots or not.  Some papers rustled faintly. A smile lifted both his face and heart. As annoying as his friend was…he couldn't help but love him.

            Jason crept into the kitchen. Duncan was arranging the bills on the table. Hooking his fingers firmly into the collar of Duncan's coat, Jason pulled sharply. Duncan gagged. Ignoring his friend's struggling, Jason dragged him to the door, opened it and gently pushed him outside. Duncan glared at him, adjusting his collar. Then concern stole over the young man's face again.

            "Take care of yourself okay Jason? I've never seen you this bad." 

            "I'll be fine."  Duncan nodded but didn't look convinced. Then after patting his shoulder, the twenty-year-old turned and trudged down the sidewalk through the ankle deep Colorado snow. Jason watched him for a while and shut the door. Looking back at his tiny, empty house…a weight settled in his heart. Maybe Duncan was right. He went to his room, scooped up all the letters and shoved them in the shoe box.  Something white fluttered out and landed on the bed. He set the box down and picked up the hand sized piece of notebook paper. For a moment it seemed his heart stopped. This couldn't be…could it? He turned the paper over and a sudden, dizzying warmth filled him as a memory washed over him, 

            Big eyes, long blond hair, cute little green dress. A tiny hand holding out a little piece of notebook paper. The words were written in pencil and surprisingly still clear. Even after all this time…

            Dear Jason,

            Your my frend forever. Don't ever forget me. I wont forget you!

XOXO

            Your best frend forever

Cassandra 

P.S. dubble XOXO! 

Cassandra. The name sung like a bell in his mind. Cassandra, Cassandra. That had been in third grade. Funny that he could still remember what he felt but not her face. Just her eyes. No woman he'd ever met had eyes like hers. Deep blue pools of light that he'd be contented to swim in forever. But Cassandra was centuries ago and miles away. Back when he didn't know love could hurt so much. He put the note on top of the pile and shoved the box under the bed.  Then with a heavy sigh, started to pick up his clothes. 

Duncan would be over tomorrow as Jason's phone had been cut off today. He would never have the heart to lock his friend out. But he'd be damned if he gave him anything to clean.  


	2. Say it in French

To Meet Again

Part: 2

Say it in French

~~~

Knote: Just so you know. _Mon Cher is my dear. __Zut is darn. __Non is no._

~~~

_            He looked down at his hands, cheeks burning. She leaned against him. The scent of her hair tingled pleasantly inside his head and it was all he could do not to bury his face in the silky strands. Around them, yellow flowers danced in a warm wind._

_            "What's the matter?" she asked in her beautiful, gentle voice that always sounded on the verge of quiet laughter. How could he say this? He loved her and he knew she loved him but… He took a deep breath and calmed himself. He would just have to say it…that was all…somehow…_

_            "I…I was just… A lot of people in the village are having children. I…I would like some…and…and a household…with…with a…" He couldn't finish. But she, as always, seemed to read his mind._

_            "A loving wife?" she said softly.  Was it his imagination or did her voice catch slightly on the last word? He opened his mouth to speak, found that he couldn't and nodded instead. She touched his burning cheek with her cool hand and began to stroke it. His heart beat so loud he was sure even heaven could hear it. _

_            "Well…someone all ready loves you… All you have to do is GET YOUR LAZY BUM OUT OF BED!" _

            His back hit something hard. Jason shot to his feet and grabbed Duncan's collar. 

            "Dammit how many times have I told you…." He trailed off as his mind kicked in and informed him that Duncan was on the other side of the room and this was not him. Instead it was a brown eyed man, stylishly dressed, with longish purple hair that was tied in small ponytail at the back of his neck. Under one sparkling brown eye was a little mole. Jason stared for a moment, trying to get his sleep shocked brain to work. 

            "Wonderful pajamas. Who made them?" the man asked in a French accent so thick you could butter toast with it. 

            "I think it's some company called Fruit of the Loom," Duncan said. 

            "Ah…a designer brand," said another voice.  Jason looked at the doorway where the voice had originated from and saw a tall, muscle bound man with shaggy gray hair that looked like he'd just stepped out of a Conan the Barbarian novel.  

            "Jason, this is my friend Ash Ivengarde. Ash, Jason Michaels," said the Frenchman. 

            "Pleasure," Ash said with a nod.  Jason returned the gesture, then looked back at the short little foreigner standing in front of him.

            "Don't tell me you don't remember me," the man said, pulling his lip out in a pout. Suddenly it clicked.

            "Nick?"  The man beamed and blew him a kiss with two fingers.

            "But of course." 

            "He's impossible to forget," Duncan said. 

            "I will not take insults from the hired help." Jason took another look at his friend. Duncan was wearing big yellow rubber gloves, holding a broom in one hand, a sponge in the other, wearing a pristine apron and a ridiculous pink shower cap with flowers on it. 

            "Duncan!" he snapped.

            "You Mr. Depression, got your phone cut off. It's your own fault." There was an argument in there somewhere, but his brain had enough to do without trying to think about it. 

            "Did you have to come over first thing in the morning?" Jason grumbled.

            "It's the middle of the afternoon thank you very much. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to tackle the bathroom. You've got a tub ring bigger then Texas. How you even _stand _to bathe in it I don't know."  Duncan's voice faded as he wandered off to the said room. Jason suddenly realized he was standing in front of complete strangers in nothing but his underwear. Well…one stranger…one a little strange…but that was beside the point. 

            "Why don't you two make yourselves comfortable while I get changed?" 

            "Okay," Nick said, plopping gracefully down on the bed and sitting Indian style. Ash rolled his eyes and went out into the living room. Jason glared at the Frenchman. He hadn't known Nick long, having only met him once. Despite this, Nick was as good a friend to him as Duncan who he'd known since the neat freak could wrap his little hands around a broom. 

            Nick didn't seem the least bit threatened by the look of death Jason was shooting him with. He probably wouldn't be threatened by talk of physical violence either. There was no getting through to some people. And too, Jason was sure that behind that five foot five height, there was a lot of power. Giving up, Jason went to his dresser and started rooting around for a decent shirt. 

            "What a crowded little place. My garage is bigger." 

            "Well not everyone can afford a chateau." 

            "It's not a chateau!" Nick said, sounding affronted. "It's a modest little house."  
            "With ten rooms."

            "Well you're rich aren't you? Or at least your parents are. They're doctors aren't they?"

            "Just Dad is now. Mom retired." 

            "Weren't you going to be a doctor too?"  Jason winced inwardly. That was one subject he didn't want to be reminded of. College days were Jessie days…and when she'd left him…. He shook the thought violently from his head and selected a white dress shirt with only a small stain on it. He put it on and a pair of relatively clean jeans.

            "So is Ash there your special friend?" he asked, grabbing a comb from the dresser and running it through his thick black hair. Nick laughed.

            "Non, non. Ash has a girlfriend. She lives here as a matter of fact. He doesn't get to see her much so I thought I'd take him with me."

            "Do you have a boyfriend now? Or have you decided you like girls again?"  Nick wrinkled his nose and leaned back a bit, holding onto his ankles.

"I don't know. There are advantages to both. I just want to find the right one, you know?"  
            "Right ones don't exist unfortunately." _Except for Cassandra. _His mind offered. _Shut up. _He told it.  Nick sighed.

"If only these were the old days. Everything was so simple then."

"Nothing was simple then…" For a moment it seemed as if they were talking of a distant old days. Somewhere beyond the 1950's and the United States. Somewhere lost in time.  He shook his head of the feeling and smiled at Nick, suddenly glad to see him. Nick smiled in return, hopped off the bed and linked arms with him. 

"Well you're reasonably presentable. So get your coat on and let's go," Nick said, fairly dragging him from the room.  

"Woah woah, wait, go where?"

"Out to brunch of course. I didn't come here just to see you in your underclothes...although it wasn't a bad sight." Jason ignored the comment and stopped dead in his tracks, which stopped Nick as well. This surprised him. For some reason he didn't expect stopping would be so easy.

"I'm not going anywhere. It's three degrees out there."

"More like twelve below," Duncan said, coming from the bathroom and pulling off his gloves. Jason looked around. The pizza boxes and Chinese takeout had been cleared, the dishes washed, the floor vacuumed, even the cheap linoleum in the kitchen shined. 

            "How long have you been here anyway?"

            "We dropped in to wake you up," Nick said. "_Mon_ _cher on the other hand has been here since nine." He waved an elegant hand toward Duncan who rolled his eyes and pinked a little at the endearment. Jason didn't bother to stifle his grin. Something to torment Duncan about later when he wanted to be left alone. It was the best thing that had happened to him all week. A sudden thought wiped the smile from his face. _

            "Wait a minute. How did you get in here? I locked the door." 

            "Imadeacopyofyourkey," Duncan said quickly. Not quickly enough though.

            "You _what?" _

            "I think I left the water running in the bathroom. Be right back." He said, walking very quickly back the way he had come and disappearing into the bathroom. 

            "Duncan Dunhill!" he shouted. There was the sound of rushing water and very loud, slightly off-key singing.

            "Oh look, here's your jacket," Nick said, throwing the beaten old leather jacket over his shoulders. "Come on Ash, lets give _mon cher _time to work."  Jason was temporarily stunned into silence when Ash stood. The barbarian wasn't tall, he was huge. Jason knew that he himself was about six feet six inches, but this man towered at least half a head over him.  

            "Good lord…you _did eat your Wheaties." Ash laughed, showing off his lupine teeth. _

            "I get that a lot." 

            "_Zut it's all ready twelve-thirty. We'd better go."_

            "Cassie's gonna be pissed," Ash said. 

            "Cassie?" Jason asked.

            "Cassandra Kionskey…his 'significant other," Nick said. Ash said something in response to this but Jason didn't hear. His heart had just stopped beating.


	3. Heart of Ice

To Meet Again

Part 3:

Heart of Ice

~~~

Knote: Have you figured out who everyone is yet? I guess it's not hard. There are sledgehammer clues. Heh.

~~~

        The snow was deeper now and it was nearly impossible to tell the sidewalk from the road. Jason had his hands shoved in his pockets and numbly watched his legs continue moving. It couldn't be the same Cassandra. It had to be a different one. There were tons of Cassandras in the world. The odds were a million-to-one that this would be the same one. Despite telling himself this, an icy core of dread had settled in his heart. What if it was the same one? What if-? A flash of cold on the back of his neck interrupted his thoughts. He put a hand to where the spot was and discovered snow.

            "Jason…the café is this way," Nick called. He turned and blinked at the man. Nick was standing on the corner of a street a few feet behind him. Ash grinned. 

            "Distracted are we?"  Jason tried to smile but he couldn't get his mouth to move. He started over to them. Nick frowned and jogged up to him, looping his arm through his. 

            "Is everything all right?"

            "Fine."  Nick said nothing for a while. The met up with Ash and continued down the sidewalk. Fat snowflakes began to swirl down from the sky. 

            "Ugh. Isn't there enough snow?" Nick said.

            "There can never be enough snow," Ash said, making a snowball and hurling it into a telephone pole. "It invigorates me, you know? Wants me to get back to nature…. Release the beast in me." He smiled, revealing his sharp canines again. _He isn't far from it, Jason thought. __Is that the kind of man Cassandra likes? He looked down at the snow. No. He couldn't think that way. It couldn't be the same one. It couldn't. _Of course how your love life has gone so far, would it surprise you if it was? _ _

            "Something is bothering you. I can tell," Nick said softly. "You are always so quiet when you're upset about something. Tell me." Jason took his arm from Nick's and walked a little away from him. He was fine. He didn't need anyone worrying about him. 

            "I've only met you once before. You don't know me." Nick folded his arms tightly and smiled. It didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You're right of course. It's just…there are some people you know all your life…and there are some you feel you know even before that." 

            "Exactly," Ash said, throwing a snowball to the sky. "Nick and I went to Madame Beaux, the fortune teller, and she said I killed him in a past life." 

             "Ah-ah. She said we killed each other. And I have a distinct feeling that I killed you first."  Jason shook his head. He didn't believe in past lives. This one was painful enough.

            "I think, by the look on your face that you are a skeptic," Nick said, looking at him from down his nose. "What if I told you something from your past life?"

            "Ha! What would you know? French twit," Ash said, tossing a snowball. The small man nimbly avoided it and hurled one back. It smacked the tall man in the face, knocking it to the side.

            "More then you, you hairy Canadian bastard."

            "Ow. Was that an ice ball?" 

            "An ice ball?" Nick said, putting a hand to his face. "Oh non, non, non monsieur, banish the thought."  

            "I'm going to banish you in a second." They commenced throwing snowballs at each other. Jason hung back, not wanting to get caught in the line of fire. They weren't paying attention. Maybe he could slip back home. He hunched over. Yeah and have Duncan catch him. Of course he didn't have to listen to Duncan…but it was hard not to listen to people who were concerned about you. Especially when you knew they were right. 

            They turned a corner and came to the only café crazy enough to be open in weather like this. A star map had been painted above it and silver stars looking like they were made out of tin foil hung in the window and glow-in-the-dark stars were plastered on both of the doors. 

            "The Starlight Café. Beautiful name. Do you come here often Jason?"   
            "No." He used to come here a lot with Danielle. It had been her favorite place. Nick pushed open the door. The silver bells tinkled and the smell of coffee and cinnamon buns assaulted his nose. There were a few people inside. A young woman with red hair sat on a stool. He hoped that was Cassandra…he really did. She turned to them and smiled, but it was only a greeting to strangers.

            "I guess she's not here yet," Ash said, picking a booth near the window. Jason sat across from him. Nick dropped his jacket and gloves on the table and went over to the redhead. Jason shrugged off his own coat; glad the café was so warm. It had been stupid to go outside in only a leather coat anyway. 

            "Bonjur Mademoiselle do you mind if I sit here for a while…?" 

            "If you want."

            "Merci. It's not often I get to sit next to something so…how do they say…beautiful?"  The woman laughed.

            "He's such a flirt. I can't stand him sometimes," Ash said, looking over a menu.  "Do you want anything? My treat." 

            "Just some black coffee thanks."  

            "Sure."  Jason gazed out the window to the snow. It was getting bad. It would probably be up to his knees by the time they were starting home if the snowplows didn't come along soon. Nick might have to swim. He smiled a little at the thought. A few minutes passed and he blinked, startled, as the coffee was put in front of him. He sipped at it slowly and continued gazing out the window. Suddenly he spotted someone coming up the road. It was impossible to tell who, or even what gender they were because of all the coats and wrappings they were wearing. 

            The person came to the far door, facing Jason and opened it. The scarf fell away from the person's head revealing shoulder length blond hair and striking blue eyes. Jason was caught. He knew he was staring but he couldn't stop. She smiled at him, seeming a little embarrassed and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Then sheepish little smile turned genuine and she opened her mouth. Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by a low whistle. 

            "It looks like the sun finally came out," Nick said, a brilliant smile on his impish face. "Pardon me mademoiselle, but you look very familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before…say, my dreams?"  Jason rolled his eyes over in Nick's direction and shook his head. The woman smiled and winked at him.

            "Yes, that's it monsieur, in your dreams," she said sweetly.  Jason laughed. She was gorgeous and smart. Gods she hadn't changed a bit.  

            "More like in mine," Ash said, standing up, the wolfish grin back on his face. The woman's face lit up and she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.  Jason stared. He couldn't tear his eyes away. 

            "Oh Ash, it's been too long. I've missed you so much."

            "I missed you too my Cassie."  Jason looked down into his cup, gulping hard. Of course. _Ash's _Cassie. _Ash's _Cassandra. Dammit. Damn _it! Why did this __always have to happen? He blinked back his tears._

            "Jason…" Nick's hand touched his shoulder. There was concern in his voice. Jason shrugged him off and stood, suddenly angry. He was going home, kicking Duncan out of his house and going to sleep until…the end of the world. Why the hell not? What did he have to look forward to? 

            "Who are your friends?" Cassandra asked. 

            "Well that midget over there is Nicholas Renee Papillon." 

            "My friends call me Nick," he said, lifting her hand and kissing it. 

            "Don't be flattered, he does that with everyone…male or female," Ash said in a long suffering voice.

            "Well unless you try everything on, how will you know what fits best?" 

            "It's a pleasure to meet you Nick…and I don't think you're short. Compared to Goliath over here, everyone's a midget," Cassandra said, a fond smile lifting her eyes. Fondness for _Ash_. How he wished that look could be directed at him.

            "It is gracious to hear that from you as you are also taller then me," Nick said with a slight laugh. 

            "And this is Jason Michaels," Ash finished. 

            "Hi Jason," Cassandra said, holding out her hand. He stared at it for a moment before taking it. A shock ran through him as soon as they touched. She must have felt it as well because she gave a cute little yelp and yanked her hand back. 

            "Static electricity… I think it breeds on wool," she said, laughter dancing in her eyes. "Would you like to try again?"

            "No. I…I'd really better…be…be going." Why was he stuttering? He _never stuttered. He must sound like such a __moron to her. _

            "Jason," Nick said, disapproval in his voice.

            "Oh no, don't. Please join us," Cassandra said, putting a hand on his arm. "I mean, as much as I like spending time with this oaf, I love meeting new people." He wanted to leave. He wanted to get out of there and run as fast as he could home. But…but the warmth of her hand felt like it belonged there and he didn't want to see disappointment in her eyes. He nodded and sat close to the window, sighing a little as her hand left his arm. Nick scooted in beside him. Jason was grateful that it was Ash sitting across from him. If Cassandra was…he knew he'd end up regretting it. 

            "You have to try the Western Omelette here, it's fabulous," Cassandra said, taking up a menu.  The waiter came over. 

            "Can I get you anything?"

            "Um…yes. I'll have a Western Omelette…and so will everyone else…right?" 

            "Oui."

            "Fine by me." 

            "No thank you," Jason said. 

            "All right. And what will you be having to drink?"  She'd want tea with lemon. He knew she would. That's what she always drank in the afternoon. _And how the hell would you know idiot? _His mind snapped at him.

            "Tea with lemon thanks," she said with a smile. He stared. _Coincidence, _his mind said. When the waiter left, she folded her hands on the table and turned that smile on him. He wished she wouldn't. Why couldn't she just ignore him?

            "So Jason…what do you do?"

            "I work at Burgers Deluxe," he muttered. _And I have no life because girls keep dumping me and I'm too much of a loser to get over it. _

_            "Oh really? I go there sometimes but I've never seen you."_

            "I work back line."

            "So that's why everything tastes so good."

            "Damn Cassie. You're almost as bad as Nick…" Ash said. A smile that wasn't quite a smile on his face.

            "I'm not flirting. I'm complementing. There's a difference."  
            "Where do you work?" Nick asked hastily. "I heard you were a waitress."

            "I was. I'm a receptionist now. I work at New Hope Hospital. It's just part time so I can go to college."

"Pre-med?" Jason asked. 

"Yes. How did you know?" He shrugged. It seemed like something she would do was all. There was a friendly silence for a while. Jason sipped his bitter coffee and tried not to stare at the pretty reflection Cassandra made in the window.  

            "I'm just surprised that you were late for once," Ash said. 

            "I was not. We were supposed to meet at eleven-thirty."

            "Damn."

            "But I forgot my wallet and had to go home and get it. That's okay though…I forgive you. You're _always late."  Yes. Always late. He always came just the moment too late. He clenched his hand into a fist. Too late for her. Too late for his friends and now too late to be in her life. Why did heaven always do this to him? He couldn't take it anymore._

"I'm leaving. Move Nick."

"But why?" Cassandra asked. She sounded shocked…upset. _And you're overdramatizing. Get out before you make a complete idiot out of yourself._

"I'm not letting you," Nick said, folding his arms. 

"I have something to do. Move…_please." _

"Is it something I said? If it is I'm so sorry," Cassandra said.

"N…no it's not like that. Nick…"

"I refuse." Jason slammed his hand into the table.

"Dammit if you don't move I'm going to shove you out of your seat! Get the hell out of my way!" Nick stared at him with wide eyes.

"A…all right." As soon as the Frenchman had vacated Jason scooted out of the seat. Then he stood and walked quickly toward the door, leaving his jacket behind. 

"Jason wait!"  Cassandra called. He ran. Tearing out of the café and into the freezing cold. He hoped he froze. He hoped every part of him froze, especially his heart. It was too broken to beat anymore. 


	4. Nick

To Meet Again

Part 4:

Nick

~~~

Knote: Poor Jason. Well don't worry. Things get better…or maybe not. Maybe they just might get worse.

~~~

        Nick listened half-heartedly to Ash and nodded at appropriate moments. It was so rare for Jason get mad. What could have set him off? There was nothing that he could see. Still, a small part inside of Nick understood how Jason felt. Which was strange since he wasn't even sure _what _Jason was feeling at the moment. He probably should have gone after him but… Jason probably wouldn't like the company. When all was said and done, Nick didn't really know him. _He's right, you know. You have only met once before. How could you have the slightest idea? _

_            "…there Nick?" Ash said. Nick blinked. _

            "Umm…non? Oui? I don't know, where were we supposed to be?" 

            "I asked if you were there… I guess that was a no." 

            "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Jason…" 

            "Me too," Cassandra said. "I wonder why he just ran off like that? I hope I didn't offend him." 

            "Don't worry about it Cass," Ash said, draping a big arm over her shoulder. Nick was filled with the sudden urge to yell at Ash for doing that. To prevent his big mouth from saying anything, he took a big sip of tea, scalding his tongue in the process. 

            "But what if…?"

            "You were talking about being late. Maybe he had somewhere to be."  Nick shook his head. No. It was more then that. Jason had been really angry. Cassandra didn't seem to believe Ash either. The woman met his eyes and Nick was surprised at the concern there. It seemed to be far more concern then one would normally feel for a stranger. Maybe he was just imagining it…or maybe she was just a very caring person.

            "Well," Ash said, pushing his empty plate away. "That was a good omelette."  He pulled Cassandra closer to him.

            "Why don't we go back to your apartment for a while hmm?" He kissed the top of her head. Nick clenched his mug. Trying to keep the anger in. There was no reason to be angry with his friend. And yet some part insisted there was every reason to be.

            "Ash really. You are so insensitive," Cassandra said. 

            "Exactly," Nick blurted before he could stop himself.

            "How could you even say something like that at a time like this?"

            "Really!" 

            "A time like what? I don't even know the guy. Neither do you Nick, not really. What, were you going out with him or something Cassie?" 

            "I've never…really properly met him before," the woman said. _But you have haven' t you? _Nick thought.

            "Do you believe in reincarnation?" Nick asked. Cassandra looked at him with wide eyes.

            "Gods Nick. Do you have to use that line on everyone you meet? Oh babee I sink I met you in zome past life. Let's shag," Ash said in a ridiculously high pitched voice. Nick decided to ignore him.  The bells above the door behind him rang. He turned and his heart sank when he saw Duncan. 

            "Hello everyone. Mind if I join you?" he asked, pulling off three layers of gloves. 

            "Is Jason at home then?" 

"No… Isn't he here?" Nick solemnly shook his head._ He opened his mouth to explain but Cassandra spoke for him._

            "He got mad about something and left. He said he had somewhere to go. Do…do you think he's all right?" Sea green eyes went wide.

            "Jason? Got mad? And you could tell?"

            "It was pretty obvious," Ash said. Duncan's forehead creased with worry and he began pulling on his gloves.

            "That's not good."

            "Do you think we should go look for him?" Nick asked, shrugging on his jacket. After a moment's consideration, Duncan nodded slowly. 

            "Yes. But…I think I should go alone." Nick, who had been half standing, sat back down. A part of his mind protested. He was Jason's friend too! He should help look for him. The sensible part however invaded with cool logic. Duncan had known Jason longer. Duncan would know what was best. 

            "I hope you find him," Cassandra said. Ash fixed his girlfriend with a level gaze.

            "You're sure you didn't date him Cassie?" The woman threw her hands in the air. 

"No Ash! Will you _stop?! I'm just concerned okay? Is that so wrong?" Ash snorted and laced his hands behind his head._

            "A bit too concerned if you ask me," he muttered.

            "Y…your name is C…Cassie?" Duncan asked. Nick looked at him strangely. His face had completely drained of color. Nick stood again, unconsciously reaching over and grabbing the young man's wrist.

            "What? What's wrong?" he asked. 

            "My name is Cassandra actually… Are you all right? You look pale." Duncan slumped a little and Nick caught his forearm to keep him steady.

            "Oh no…" Duncan whispered.

            "What? What? Tell me!"  he cried. He hadn't realized he'd spoken in French until Duncan fixed him with a blank look. Nick was about to repeat himself when the young man responded in kind.

            "Do they speak French?"  The question caught him off guard. 

            "Er…Ash does but what does that have to do…" Pulling him closer, Duncan whispered the problem in his ear. When he pulled away, Nick raised an eyebrow at him. So what if Cassandra was the same name as the girl he had a crush on in third grade? Duncan shot him with an exasperated look.

            "Danielle…" he said, as if that explained everything. Nick nodded, pretending he understood.

            "Oh." Then he suddenly _did _understand. He lifted a hand to his mouth. "Ooh mon dieu. But…it was third grade…do you really think Jason would…" But he knew the answer even before Duncan spoke it. Of course Jason would be upset over it. Jason would be practically traumatized over it. All these years he would have looked on a girl named Cassandra as a dream, and now seeing her…with someone else…

            "I am coming with you," Nick said, throwing his scarf around his neck and pulling on his own gloves. Nothing Duncan could say could stop him. Instead of arguing however, the twenty-year-old nodded.

            "Okay. We'll split up," he said, walking with long strides to the door. Nick hurried to catch up. Duncan's legs were entirely too long. A blast of arctic air met them outside. Duncan clutched his  jacket closer. Nick did as well, cursing Jason for a moment for deciding to have an episode in this weather. He couldn't have met Cassandra in the summer, oh no; he had to pick the coldest day in February. A well gloved hand on his shoulder pulled him from his sulk.

            "You head North North West for about two hundred yards and I'll go South South West and if we haven't found him we'll meet fifty paces from the library on the corner of Broker and Needle street."  Nick pulled back his sleeve and looked at his watch.

            "How about if we search for two hours and if we don't find him meet back here?"

            "Good idea. Let's go." Duncan shoved his hands in his pockets and strode off. Nick watched him go and shook his head. The boy always tried to make things so complicated. As if being complicated meant being smart. With a sigh he started in the opposite direction.  He adjusted his scarf to cover his freezing nose and looked around for any sign of Jason. It was then he noticed the large footprints, all ready starting to get covered by snow.  He bent his head and followed them, praying to anyone that would listen that Jason didn't decide to do anything stupid before he got there. 


	5. Cassandra

To Meet Again

Part 5:

Cassandra

~~~

Author's Knote: I sink Duncan's so squishi no? Nick isn't bad eizer.  

~~~

            What a wonderful day it had been. First she had worked overtime on the night shift and got home at an ungodly hour in the morning. Then she'd stupidly decided to let her roommate to start the dishwasher, knowing fully well that Danielle had never touched a cleaning implement in her life. Now, to top it off,  she'd upset a nice man horribly and she wasn't even sure how.  Cassandra stared down into her tea and sipped a little of it. 

            "I hope he's okay. I really don't know him Ash…I just…am concerned." She glanced apologetically at her boyfriend, knowing how easily jealous he got. He was the kind of man who could be jealous one minute and fine the next. A slightly pained smile twisted the corner of his mouth.

            "I know. You have a big heart Cass. You'll make a great doctor." She smiled half-heartedly at the complement and turned her gaze to the window. Any moment she hoped to see the tall, dark figure opening the door and fixing her with quiet, light blue eyes. There was something familiar about those eyes. She was sure she hadn't seen him before. She'd only just returned to Colorado last year after most of her life abroad. Nick had said something about third grade. She was fairly certain she'd been here in third grade, but it was a hazy memory at best. Her childhood had been a whirlwind of different places and different people. Being a military rat it was hard to make friends in any one place. Clutching her tea cup in her hands, she tried to remember. Third grade, third grade. She had been…eight then and they'd only been in the state for a few months. It had been her first real school because Mama used to home school her. That was right when Frederick had been born.

            She smiled a little as the memory came flooding back to her. Mama had had her hands full with both the baby and four-year-old Tanya to contend with and had sent her to school. She remembered being so scared. The teacher introduced her and left her to her own and oh, it had been a horrible day.  No one bothered to try and make friends with her and some of the girls made fun of her because of her scuffed dress shoes and 'puke' green dress, as they called it. One of them even pushed her down on the playground. She could remember looking down at her skinned knees and sniffling…and then…and then a boy came. And he'd knelt down and with utter seriousness inspected her knees. She remembered thinking that he had such an adult face. All serious eyes and straight mouth…like he wasn't used to smiling much. After inspecting her, he'd taken two Band-Aids out of the pocket of his overalls and put them on. He'd told her to keep off her feet for a while and she'd be fine.  Cassandra chuckled and lifted the tea to her lips, taking a sip, then basking in the lemony scent.  

            He'd been such a strange little boy. In the morning before school and during recess when all the other kids would be in the playground, he would sit underneath a big tree by the fence. Just sit there and watch with the same serious expression. But whenever somebody got hurt he would rush out and inspect the injured person, then give out a Band-Aid or call a teacher. The kids liked him, but always pretty much left him by himself. One day she'd sat with him and noticed he had a paper cut. She'd taken a Band-Aid out of his pocket and put it on him and he'd smiled. A smile on that solemn face was like the sun coming out. And then every day after that she'd sit with him and she remembered how she loved getting him to smile. And every day she'd get him to talk a little more and laugh a little more and one day she'd actually gotten him on a swing. And then…and then she'd had to move to Florida. And when he'd found out he wouldn't even talk to her anymore, just gaze at her with sad blue eyes…light blue…like the color of a winter sky. Cassandra stared hard into her cup. Did he really have blue eyes? Or did she just think he had blue eyes because Jason had blue eyes? And anyway, that boy couldn't have been Jason because he'd said his name was…what was it? Oh….right….

            "Juan…" she murmured.  
            "Pardon?" Ash said.  Cassandra blinked, coming back to the real world abruptly. She set her now cold tea back on the saucer.

            "Juan…it was the name of that little boy…" 

            "Little boy?" Ash asked, raising thick eyebrows. Cassandra shook her head. 

            "Never mind." 

            "Are you okay Cassie?" 

            "I'm fine…I was just thinking."

            "Well we'd better go. It's getting bad out there."  The clouds were low and gray and thick snow swirled furiously. Jason was still out there somewhere, she was sure of it.

"So, your place or mine?" Ash asked with a wolfish grin, slipping his muscular arm around her waist and pulling her closer against him. She sighed in irritation.

"Will you please stop that?" she said, squirming out of his grip.  The Canadian spread out his large hands, palms up.

"What did I do?"  _What you always do when you want some, _she thought. She forcibly stopped herself from saying this aloud and tried to smooth the annoyance from her face.

"Could you please go and look for him?" Ash slumped in his seat and gave her an exasperated look.

"Oh gods Cassie. Will you drop it? I don't know him; you don't know him…what the hell does it matter? If the scheister wants to go off and get lost in a blizzard, let him." 

"It matters because he's a human being." 

"Well why do _I _have to find him?"

"Because you're the best tracker I've ever seen. If you can find a white wolf in a blizzard, you can find Jason." Ash closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. 

"Cassie…" Cassandra gave him a puppy-dog frown. Taking Ash's large callused hand in two of her own she brushed her lips over his knuckles.

"Please Ash? For me?" He groaned.

"All right, all right. As long as you stop bringing that guy up." 

"Thank you. I'll come with you." She started to stand but he grabbed her hand and pulled her gently back down.

"No." 

"But Ash…"

"No," he repeated, closing his hand over hers. "It could get dangerous out there and the guy could be a lunatic for all you know. I'll go and meet you later at your apartment okay?" 

"My roommate's there…"

"That's okay. I'm sure we can find something fun to do anyway," he said with a grin and a wink. She forced herself to smile. When she was younger, she found him charming when he acted like that. Now it was getting rather wearing. Didn't the man have anything else on his mind?  

 "I'll pay the check, you pay the tip," she said standing and searching through her purse for a wallet. He stood as well and tossed a few dollars on the table. Then he frowned at her. One look at his hangdog face made her smile. He was an expert at those.

"What's wrong?" she asked with a slight laugh.

"Are you mad at me Cassandra?" he asked.  She smiled and put her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them gently. 

"No. I'm not mad. Just worried. Be careful out there, okay Ash?" 

"Of course I will, I've got you to return too." Aww, he was so sweet sometimes. Especially when there wasn't a hint of proposition in his voice. Her smile widened and she stood on her tiptoes. He bent his shoulders a little until his lips met hers.  It was a nice, gentle kiss…gentle for him anyway…. Then he straightened, winked at her and sauntered out the door into the rising wind. 

            Cassandra paid the bill, then she went over to the table, put on her mittens, her two jackets and wrapped the scarf around her head. She felt like the Philsbury Dough Boy, but at least she was warm. She had just waddled to the door of the café when the waiter called out:

            "Excuse me Ma'am, is this yours?" the man asked, holding out a beaten looking leather jacket. Cassandra blinked. She hadn't seen it before. It looked too big to be Nick's…so maybe one of Ash's? She took it from the waiter, and looked for the letters AI that was on all of Ash's possessions. It certainly didn't _smell like it was her boyfriend's. Ash always smelled of snow and outdoors. This smelled kind of like the grass after a spring rain with the slightest trace of mint, all mixed pleasantly with the smell of leather. She held it closer and inhaled deeply._

 Mmm. Whoever owned this smelled really good. It definitely wasn't Ash; there wasn't a monogram anywhere and she could not picture the petite Frenchman getting something that would hang practically to his knees.  Duncan hadn't taken off his coat at all. So it must be…Jason's. As soon as his name sounded in her mind her heart skipped a beat. She put a hand to her head, suddenly a little dizzy. What was going on with her? Maybe she was catching something.

"Ma'am?" the waiter asked. She blinked at him, trying to figure out why he was looking at her like he wanted an answer.

"Wh…what?"      

"Are you all right Ma'am?" 

"Oh…yes…my jacket… I…I mean…I'm fine. Really. I'm just…going…er…will be going…" _Get a hold of yourself girl! _ Cassandra shook her head and got her thoughts in order.

"I'll see you later."

"Please come again," the waiter said, sounding slightly bemused. Cassandra stepped outside; nearly choking on the freezing wind that slammed into her face. She clutched the jacket closer and hurried home.


	6. Ash

To Meet Again

Part 6:

Ash

~~~  
Author's Knote: 

~~~  
            The cold bit at him from all sides. Snow slapped against his face and stung his eyes. Ash bowed his head to the wind and wondered, not for the first time, how he'd managed to get himself involved in this. One thing he knew for sure. This was absolutely the last holiday he went on with Nick. Every time he went somewhere with Nick, something always happened to him. The last time, the twit had invited him to a dinner party his current boyfriend, now his ex, had been having. Apart from having to stuff himself into a tuxedo that was a little too small for him, Ash's ex had been invited to the party as well. As it turned out, Ash's ex happened to be Nick's boyfriend's manager…as well as his secret lover. Things had not been pretty. 

            Now he was tromping through a blizzard after some nutter who ran off without his jacket. Well at least there was one consolation. Cassandra would be there to warm him up when he got back to her apartment. She was good at warming up. She could give the best massages he'd ever had, even professionally.  The only drawback was that she didn't really like it rough and he had to hold back a bit more then he wanted too. But her massages and her company were worth it. She was almost as good a friend to him as Nick. 

            Snow gave way under his foot, causing him to sink up to his shin. Ash cursed as it soaked into his jeans. Dammit, he was not dressed for this. If he didn't find that lunatic soon he was going to get hypothermia. He only hoped Nick had enough sense to find shelter from this mess.

            Pushing all other thoughts from his mind, Ash straightened and closed his eyes. His sixth sense was quiet for a while, then began to drive his legs in where to go. He would find him. Finding things was one of his talents…especially live things. It was almost like hunting prey.

 A furious gust of snow and ice made him pause and shield his face. Then as soon as it had come, the wind disappeared, taking with it most of the falling snow. Only a few flakes fell now and the sky was beginning to lighten. This weather was crazy. Ash grinned. He absolutely loved it.  A very loud, very French curse from around the corner told him that someone had an entirely different opinion.

Ash peered around the corner and couldn't help but laugh to see his friend sprawled on his back in the snow. Nick shot him a wilting glare and struggled to his feet again only to have his legs shoot out from under him and send him right back into the snow. Ash contained his laughter only just and went over to help his friend out. He grabbed Nick's hand and hauled him to his feet. Suddenly Nick was holding a flare right up to his face. Before he could blink, Nick yanked the string. Fire ripped from it and shot toward his eye. Ash closed his eyes tightly and sucked in his breath through his teeth. 

"What? What's wrong?" Nick asked. 

"Nothing…" Ash said, running a trembling hand through his hair. He opened his eyes and Nick was standing below him, flareless, but with an equal fire in his brown eyes. 

            "Liar. It's those visions again isn't it?" There was no bother to deny it. They were another good reason not to be around Nick. They only happened to him and the usually involved him. None of them were pleasant. 

            "Was it the one on the mountain?" Nick asked, voice heavy with concern.

            "No…no the flare one."  The shorter man hooked arms with him and began to walk. Ash went with him, noting with some irony that now _he was the unsteady one. _

            "I don't know why they keep happening. It's not as if I _care_ anymore," Nick said, directing his last statement at the sky. 

            "Do you…really think it's the past?" 

            "Definitely." Ash winced, remembering all too clearly the vision that took place on the mountain. That one usually came up in his nightmares too.  That one usually made his neck ache for days afterward. 

            "Don't worry my friend. What's in the past is in the past."

            "Maybe…I did something to deserve it," he said quietly.

            "Or maybe you just can't forgive yourself for it. Whatever tragedy happened is over now and has been over for a long time, just forget about it. Besides, if we hadn't killed each other in a past life, we would never be so close now."

            "Maybe you're right." 

            They walked in silence for a while. Ash subtlety directing Nick to where his feet told him to go. Although Nick seemed to know the way fairly well too. The snow crunched under their feet and overhead, birds began to sing.

            "I think the past reveals itself when we can't let go…or when it wants to help us in some way. But whatever it is, it can be a burden. I think that's the problem with Jason."

            "Jason? He doesn't seem like the kind of guy to have a past to me. He's really quiet and a little odd."   

            "But you've only known him for a few minutes."

            "But you've only met him twice." 

            "No…we've met before." Nick's eyes focused on somewhere far away. "He…lost someone important to him in the past…and he feels he's lost them again I think. I can't explain any better then that." The purple haired man gave him a serious look. "But don't judge him too harshly Ash. He's had a hard time in this life too. Ash nodded. He usually had a problem with judging people before knowing them. Nick suddenly stopped and Ash did too, wondering why. 

            "You wait here." Nick went on ahead to an awning across the street. Ash blinked as he saw the shadow leaning against the wall that he knew was probably Jason. That Nick had noticed him before Ash was odd. Nick couldn't spot a squirrel in a tree ten feet away from him. But then…not many squirrels were almost as tall as Ash was. There wasn't much conversation before Nick came back alone.

            "Do you have another coat under that?"  
            "No. But I have a sweatshirt, why?"

            "Well may I borrow your coat s'il vous plait? And not to be rude…but could you leave? Perhaps find a hotel or something." 

            "Why? Does Jason have a problem with me?"

            "Oui and…non… It's complicated. 

            "All right." Ash unzipped his coat and handed it to his friend. Then after one last look in the shadows, shoved his hands in his pockets and stared back the way he had come. Well that was strange…but at least Cassie would be pleased.


	7. Recuperation

To Meet Again

Part 7:

Recuperation

~~~

Knote: Tanks to my beta Stormlight! *gives Stormy a huuug* Oh yeah…and putain mean's whore in French. Juuust so yas know. ^_^

~~~

"Don't you ever do that again!" Was what Nick said, but it sounded like: 'Donshu evare do zat again!' His accent apparently got thicker when he was agitated and at the moment he was barely understandable. 

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack! What were you thinking going out in that storm?! You could have gotten hypothermia or frost bite or…" Jason sighed impatiently at the two fingers wagging in his face. He deserved this lecture, lord knew he deserved it, but he wished they wouldn't start it now. His head was beginning to ache and his nose was sore from all the tissues. 

"I know, I know, I'm sorry." Which actually sounded more like: 'I dow, I dow, I'm thorry.' 

"You'd better be! Mon Dieu!" Nick slumped on the couch, putting a dramatic hand to his forehead. Jason stared at him, half in disgust. The man could even _slump gracefully. Duncan sat on his other side, grabbed a tissue and gave a honk that would give an elephant a run for its money. If Jason didn't know any better, he would have said Duncan had purposefully caught a _worse _cold just to make him feel bad._

"In any case, we are not leaving your side until we know you're not going to do anything foolish." Jason rolled his eyes, but otherwise didn't protest. He didn't plan on doing anything foolish again…in fact he was beginning to feel rather foolish…but he enjoyed the company. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the couch. He should have never acted the way he did. That woman had been his Cassandra, there was no doubt about that…but so what if she was? So what if she were in love with another man? After all, she couldn't be expected to still like…or even remember someone she had met in third grade. He should be glad she didn't turn out as pathetic as he did. Besides, what could she possibly want in him anyway? He was just a thirty-year-old burger flipper.

"Am I invited to your pity party?" Duncan asked dryly, jabbing a light elbow into his ribs. Jason rolled his head to the side to fix his friend with a half hearted glare.

"Be quiet trumpet boy. Tell me, can you play a tune or just blow?" 

"Look who's talking," Duncan said, throwing a clean tissue at him and turning his glare to it as it fluttered harmlessly to the ground. "And anyway," he continued, picking up the tissue and folding it carefully before throwing it in the trash. "If I have a cold it's your fault." 

Okay, enough was enough; it was time to turn Duncan's ire onto someone else. While he thought he used another tissue and finished off his orange juice. Then he leaned back and wrapped the quilt more snugly around him. 

"I know a certain person, Monsieur Nick, who doesn't even have a sniffle," Jason said, turning his gaze to the short man. 

"That is because I am special," he said, tapping the right side of his chest and winking. "And on top of that, I'm not a buffoon like you two. As soon as it started getting bad I went inside a shop." Jason rolled his head back to eye his younger friend.

"What say you Duncan? Shall we breathe on him?" 

"Sounds like a good idea." Jason turned and lunged for Nick who laughed and danced off the couch, out of arms reach. 

"Not that it would have worked, but I don't want to smell your breath." He said, making an exaggerated gesture of disgust. Jason sniffed at him and a pillow flew from somewhere on his other side and smacked the Frenchman upside the head.

"Good aim Duncan," Jason said, resting his head back. 

"Dank you," the twenty-year-old said, and proceeded to do Moose mating calls with his nose. 

"If you two are done spreading your germs everywhere…let's see what's on television." Nick tossed the pillow casually back. A soft yelp indicated it had hit its target. Jason watched as Nick sat on the couch and folded one leg over the other. He rolled his eyes. Europeans. 

The television clicked on.

"And in the news today…"

"Barney is a dinosaur! …" 

"Oh Jon! I'm having Mark's baby!" 

"And you put the eggs in…" A few minutes later Nick had managed to flip through all one hundred and ninety-nine channels. 

"And our headline story…"

"Let's imagine kids!"

"Ashley! No! You can't leave me!

"And then bake it for…"

"Oh for the love of…" Jason started.

"Pick something!" Duncan snapped.

"All right…" Nick said and changed to the TV Guide channel, muttering something in French.

"Don't think I don't understand that," Duncan called out.

"Oohh ferme labuch!" 

"What I want to know is," Duncan continued. "Why you can't seem to pay your electricity or phone bills on time and yet you have two hundred channels?"

"One hundred and ninety-nine thank you very much, Cinemax doesn't come in too well."

"Well it's not like you watch much TV anyway Jason. So why…?"

"You heard what Nick said…shut up." The fact of the matter was, he did watch TV. A lot. On the weekends when he was all alone…and during Christmas…and New Years…and lord he was pathetic. 

"You're watching E!" the TV announced brightly. Jason lifted his head and crossed his arms behind it. 

"Glory, glory halleluiah you actually picked something," Duncan said. "Now if only you could apply that to dating."

"I am two seconds from ramming this pillow up your rear!"

"I wouldn't let you, you'd enjoy it too much," Duncan said with a grin Jason could practically feel. Nick let out a shriek to make Xena proud, clambered over his lap and proceeded to beat Duncan furiously with a couch cushion.

"Ack! Mercy! Mercy! I'm sick!"

"I don't care if you're dying!" 

"And all the big celebrities are being seen at Colorado, just in time for the Olympics in Aspen," the TV lady announced. Nick squealed and bounced back to his seat, much to the relief of the twenty-year-old.

"First to arrive and first to be seen is twenty-six year old actor and part-time singer, Julio Remeraz!" Nick burst out laughing. Jason raised his eyebrow. Juilo was tall, tan and slim with long dark hair and yellow eyes. He really didn't see anything funny about that.

"Julio always likes to think he's the best," Nick said. "He's hideous in bed!"

"Nick used to date him," Duncan explained. 

"Ah."

"And he cheated on me with that putain Ryuu! Ash always said she was a slut!"

"Ash used to date her," Duncan said. 

"Well now I officially know way more then I need to about you Nick," Jason said. 

"You can never know too much about moi," Nick said, blowing him a kiss. 

"I beg to differ," Duncan said.

"You're all ready on my list so you'd better watch it." 

"So, Julio, is it true that you were forced to bring your former babysitter's children along for the ride?" the perky lady asked. The Latino actor gave her a look that promised certain death. Then he lifted his nose and shoved past her. A few more celebrities went by without comment from anyone. But an auburn haired Country singer, Zack something, got a purr from Nick. 

"This twenty-nine year old Japanese pop star is making his way into American hearts and homes. Ladies and Gentleman, Andy Wong!" the TV lady chirped. The singer was tall and slim with long hair like Juilo, but there the similarities ended. He was pale and his hair was a golden brown color that hung over his shoulder. His eyes were hidden behind sunglasses but somehow Jason knew they were gold. 

"What? No comment from the peanut gallery?" Duncan said. Jason looked over at Nick and raised his eyebrows. Nick had both hands clapped over his mouth and his eyes were so wide that mice could use them as card tables.

"Mooon Dieeeuuu…I would love to practice on him."

"Practice what?" Duncan asked. There was actual curiosity in his voice and Jason had the sinking feeling that Duncan really _didn't_ know.

"Welll…" Nick started. Jason held up a hand.

"Tell him later. I, for one, do not want to know." 

"Awww, you're no fun," Nick said, whapping him lightly on the arm. The bubbly voice of the TV woman stilled any further conversation. 

"So, Andy, you know you're gorgeous right?" she asked. Wong smiled and sparkles began to flit around him.

"Of course. Not many can compare." His voice had a Japanese accent, but he sounded as if he'd been speaking English for a while.

"He can't be serious. No one could possibly be _that _arrogant." Duncan said. But he was. Jason was sure he was…and furthermore…he was sure Duncan knew he was too. It was so strange; it was like he knew Andy Wong without knowing him. It was the same feeling he'd had when he'd first met Nick. 

"What's wrong with being honest? He is the most gorgeous man alive!" Nick said, batting his eyes and sighing.

"If you swoon I'm not reviving you," Jason said, and was rewarded by a smack with the couch cushion. The TV woman responded to this by laughing a big, fake laugh. 

"And a sense of humor too."

"Hai. I'm so glad you noticed."

The woman laughed again, more obviously fake. Jason was sure that if she could say oy, she would have said it. 

"So, is there any truth to the rumor that you're dating your manager, Kanashii Ryuu?" 

"There better not be any truth to it!" Nick snapped, standing on the couch. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides and his lips were pressed together so hard they were white. 

"Let's change the channel," Jason said, hastily reaching for the remote.

"Non!" Nick snapped. "I want to see!" Just then, a woman with golden blond hair and deep blue eyes came up to Andy one hip at a time. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed him, smiled a little for the camera then left, nearly dragging the man behind her.

"Sayonara minna!" Andy said, waving and blowing kisses to the camera. Nick looked about ready to put his fist through the TV. Jason grabbed the remote and hastily changed the channel. Nick remained standing, his brown eyes blazing.

"Are you going to be okay Nicky?" Duncan asked, voice almost child like. Nick slowly sat and folded his arms tightly across his chest.

"Oui…don't worry. But if I ever see that putain again I'm going to wring her neck. How does she have the nerve to do what she does? She just uses them!" Nick then continued his tirade in French, leaving Jason totally lost. At this point he was rather glad to be. Even though Nick's loud voice wasn't helping his headache any, he was glad that they were here. As long as they'd been here, he hadn't thought about Cassandra once. Well…not more then once. _They can't stay forever Jason,_ the sensible part of his mind said. _They'll leave sooner or later…and then what are you going to do? _ Well…he'd just have to put Cassandra out of his mind. Totally forget about her… and maybe along the way he could forget how to breathe…


	8. Falling

To Meet Again

Part 9:

Falling

~~~

Knote: Just so you know, Zack is NOT Tasuki. ^_^ Tasuki hasn't shown up yet. Four Seiryuu have though. ^_^ Sort of. Danielle isn't anyone though.

~~~

        Cassandra's apartment was the kind movies were made in. Everything was stylish and neat and nothing was out of place. Ash didn't really like it. It didn't feel…lived in. There were no papers heaped up on tables, no loose bits of clothing flung over chairs, not even shoes in the middle of the floor. The only redeeming quality was the big messy Christmas tree that his girlfriend was struggling to take down. He chuckled as she tried to wrestle a string of popcorn off the tree's many branches. She glared at him.

            "You know, you could help instead of sitting there eating me out of house and home." Ash looked at dwindling pile of sandwiches on his plate, chose the peanut butter and jelly one, a combination Cassandra abhorred, and took a big bite. She tried to frown at him but the slight quirk at the corner of her lips betrayed her.

            "I don't know why I put up with you," Cassandra said, finally managing to free the garland of popcorn. This she rolled up into a neat little ball and tossed into a nearby box. 

            "Because I'm best lover you've ever had," he said with a grin. She rolled her eyes and pushed a strand of light blond hair behind her ear.

            "As you're the only lover I've ever had, that's not saying much." She took a golden mistletoe off the tree and turned it over and over in her fingers, her face suddenly pensive.

            "You did find Jason…right?" she asked. This was the first she'd asked about him, although Ash could tell she'd wanted to ask since he arrived.

            "Yes. Nick took him back to his apartment. So you can stop worrying okay?" 

            "Yeah," Cassandra said. "I just can't help but feeling that he ran off because of me." 

            "That's ridiculous…you didn't do anything."

            "I know…" she set the mistletoe gently in a box and began to remove other ornaments from the tree. Her movements were slow and graceful. Ash sat back and watched her through half-open eyes. She was such a beauty to watch. 

            "I think he was Juan," she said suddenly. 

            "Who was?" he asked lazily.

            "Jason…I think…I think he might be the boy I met in third grade. He used to say Juan was his 'doctor' name." He sighed inwardly, more then a little irritated. Jason. Jason, Jason, Jason. Was that all she could talk about anymore? If he heard that name one more time he'd scream.

            "Well that explains it. He was a weird little kid and now he's a weird adult."

            "He's not weird!" Cassandra snapped, shooting him with a glare. Ash opened his eyes fully and stared at her. What the hell was her problem?

            "It's just an observation Cassie, you don't have to bite my head off." The anger disappeared from her face and was replaced by a sad frown. Ash rolled his eyes. Women were always so moody.

            "I'm sorry Ash…I just…I don't know…feel so sorry for him."

            "Why?" She was silent as she took the angel from the top of the tree. She stared at it intently for a moment, as if waiting for it to come alive. Then she smoothed out its dress with her fingers and placed it in a shoe box decorated with gold glitter.

            "I just have the feeling he's been waiting for me… And it's almost like I'm gone again…" Her tone was strangely distant and suddenly she seemed like someone else. Nick got that way sometimes, when he was speaking of things Past…but Ash had never seen Cassandra do it. Fear made his throat dry. Was he going to start experiencing visions with her too? Had he done something horrible to her in a past life as well?  Almost as soon as it had come, the moment passed and Cassandra was herself again. She smiled self-consciously, a small blush coming to her cheeks. 

            "Sorry. That's kind of stupid isn't it? What man would obsess over someone for twenty-two years? Maybe I have the same name as his recently deceased grandmother or something."  Ash relaxed back in the chair, the tension draining from him. No vision. Thank God. If he'd had any visions about killing her he wouldn't want to live with himself.

            "You're pale Ash. Is something wrong?" 

            "I guess I'm just hungry," he said with a grin, finishing off the peanut butter and jelly sandwich in one bite. Cassandra smiled and rolled her eyes.

            "You are hopeless." 

            "Who is?" a voice asked. Ash jumped and turned in his chair. A woman stood there, honey blond hair falling around her shoulders. She was tall, maybe even coming up past his shoulder and she was big boned like he was. Her breasts were mediocre but her hips were big, perfect for holding onto in the heat of the moment. The woman smiled at him, her forest green eyes twinkling.

            "Hi, you must be Ash. I'm Danielle," she said extending her hand. He put the plate of sandwiches on the table and quickly stood and moved around the chair to grasp her hand. As soon as he reached for her, she inched her hand back. He wondered why until he noticed the smear of peanut butter in his palm. Ash smiled sheepishly and offered his clean hand. She took it with a giggle. Ash grunted in surprise at the feel of her palm against his. Her hand was callused and strong. He thought all women's hands were smooth.  

            "Is it a Canadian custom to hold hands for so long?" Danielle asked. Ash let go of her hand, grinned and tried to think of something charming to say to her. Unfortunately all he could think of involved dancing naked under a full moon and he didn't think she'd appreciate that comment too much. Danielle seemed to read his mind. She giggled again and brushed past him to sit on the love seat. She walked to silently, even though she was big. He admired that in a woman… Especially this woman. 

            "Is your boyfriend always this quiet Cassandra?" she asked. 

            "No. Usually we can't get him to shut up," the other woman said with a laugh. No. Not 'the other woman'. His girlfriend. Ash shook his head and went back to his seat, bringing the plate back onto his lap. 

            "I'm sorry. I haven't met too many women like you."  Danielle laughed a third time. She did that a lot. Much more often then Cassandra anyway. 

            "Yeah. Most people say that…usually men." 

            "What do you do for a living?" 

            "I train dogs for the police force," she said, reaching over and boldly stealing a sandwich from his plate.

            "I train dogs too. Huskies." 

            "Oh really? I grew up with Huskies. I train Dobermans though, German Shepherds, Labs…big tough police dogs."

            "You see Ash? Even when you're away I still get to live with you," Cassandra said, her soft, sweet voice breaking into the conversation. He turned his attention back to his girlfriend. Her blue eyes were smiling. He had known her for at least ten years and they had a great friendship. Too great a friendship to risk losing it over another woman…even if that other woman _did _look like a goddess. 

            "So how did you two meet?" Danielle asked, leaning back and resting her arm over the back of the couch.

            "Well my father was stationed in Japan…and Ash happened to be there…"

            "I was a foreign exchange student." 

            "And we went to school together."

            "So was it love at first sight?" Danielle asked. Cassandra shook her head.

            "No. He was dating someone at the time. Kanashii was it?" Ash rolled his eyes.

            "Oh gods, don't even remind me of her. She kept trying to manipulate me to do different things. That girl would try to manipulate anything she could get her hands on."  His visions had started with her too. Started in the form of strange dreams. Most of which involved Kanashii whipping him. If he hadn't left her he'd have lost it.

            "Geez, she sounds like a real bitch," Danielle said.

            "No she wasn't. Bitches, I like," Ash said with a grin that showed off his fangs.

            "Oh thank you so much for the compliment," Cassandra said coolly.  Danielle giggled.

            "You must _really like Cassandra at certain times of the month." A plastic ornament came sailing across the room and bounced off the tall woman's head. Ash laughed._

            "No…I love my Cass all the time."  His girlfriend rewarded him with a brilliant smile and Ash smiled back. Oh yeah. He was good. The love of ladies everywhere. They just couldn't resist him.

            "You guys are so lucky," Danielle said with a sigh. "I keep ending up with total losers." 

            "What about Kevin? He doesn't seem so bad," Cassandra said.

            "I broke up with him." 

            "Why's that?" 

            "Well he is nice, but he talks to himself. Besides, that cocky red-headed bastard he always hangs out with gets on my nerves. Of course Kev is nothing compared to the one before him though." 

            "Why? Did you find out he was gay with cross-dressing tendencies and loved pulling pranks?" Ash asked.

            "Is _that how you met Nick?" Cassandra asked. Danielle, thankfully, saved him from answering that question.           _

        "I wish he was. That would have been interesting. But no, he was just so _boring. He refused to socialize with anyone he didn't know and his idea of romance was walking through a garden together."_

            "I think that's rather romantic," Cassandra said. 

            "I'd rather be out hiking, or skiing, something invigorating you know? Not tromping through froofy little trellises and commenting on flowers. On top of that he was awful in bed. I can't count the number of times I fell asleep. And he's got all the emotions of an robot." 

            "How long did you stay with him for?" Ash asked.

            "Three years," she said with a sheepish smile.  Women were so strange. He wouldn't have stayed with someone who bored him to death for three years. 

            "Why?" Cassandra asked. Danielle shrugged. 

            "I'd just moved out here and had almost nothing to live on. His parents were doctors so I figured, why not? I mean it's not like he can't afford to take care of a woman. Besides, one good thing about him is that anything I asked him for he got me. But you know…now that I've gotten away from him, I wouldn't go back to Jason if you paid me." Ash laughed. He just couldn't stop hearing about that man could he? Danielle stared at him, one blond eyebrow raised.

            "Do you know him?" she asked.

            "You could say that." 

            "I don't think Jason is boring at all," Cassandra said, her eyes suddenly as frosty as the night outside.

"You don't have to stand up for everyone Cass. Some people are just boring, that's a fact of life."  
            "And trust me, Jason is the most boring person I have _ever laid eyes on."_

"I wouldn't be surprised," Ash muttered. Cassandra shot him with that icy look and opened her mouth to speak. Danielle beat her too it.

"But I don't think anyone in this room will argue Cassandra that you have great taste in men," Danielle said.  Ash grinned, deciding to ignore his girlfriend's strange behavior. 

"Doesn't she though?" 


	9. Duncan

To Meet Again:

Part 10:

Duncan

~~~

Knote: I know most of y'all probably know this…but just in case… Lestat is a vampire… Yes it is applicable…trust me…but not because he's in the story or anything. ^^;  

~~~

            _The woman approached him, her dark brown hair flowing around her shoulders. In her hands she balanced a silver tray and on it was a chrome laptop. Duncan stared, open mouthed. Could it really be the Stargazer? The best piece of portable technology that was ever invented for the use of man? _

_            "Is that…for me?" he asked, eyes wide. The woman nodded and opened her mouth._

"The time is five-thirty in the a.m.! Wake up to the hit music of WQDR the best light rock in Colorado! Next, a hit song by Japanese sensation, Andy Wong! Get ready boys and girls for 'You are In My-" the happy voice abruptly stopped as Duncan hit the snooze button. He let his hand fall and hang of the edge of the bed, fingers brushing the floor. Ugh. It was morning again. Morning and he had a class in two hours. With a groan he lurched out of bed, pausing a moment to straighten the covers and smooth the wrinkles, before stumbling his way to the shower. Luckily enough, his dorm room was equipped with a small shower. Not all had that luxury. Unfortunately however, his roommate was in it. Duncan glared and knocked on the plastic door.

"How long have you been in there?"

"T…two hours. I'll b…be out s…soon."

"Soon meaning sometime before the apocalypse?"

"G…get b…bent D…Duncan." The twenty-year-old narrowed his eyes and went over to the sink. Then with an innocent whistle turned on the hot water. There was a shriek and a stuttered curse, then the shower door slammed open and Calvin stood there, murder in his strange, cat-like, eyes.

"D…dammit Duncan!" 

"Dammit nothing. Your first class is at noon. Now get out, I didn't take a shower last night and I feel disgusting." 

"Y…you look disgusting," Calvin grumbled, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his middle. Duncan gave his grumpy friend a well aimed but gentle kick out the door and closed it behind him. Then he stripped and stepped in the shower. Calvin had left the water running and now it was warm again.  Sighing with pleasure, he soaked under it awhile, then began to wash. 

Living with Calvin was an interesting experience. Calvin was an outcast and proud. He wore black lipstick and spiked his hair, which he claimed was naturally black, but strangely enough…his roots were teal colored. He stuttered a lot and was a slow learner. Duncan was willing to bet Calvin had been teased unmercifully all through school. Duncan knew how it felt to be teased. When he'd moved to New Jersey with his stepmother, he was deemed smart enough to be moved from fourth grade to seventh. Nobody there liked a know-it-all nine-year-old. If it hadn't been for Joshua, Duncan would have been purely miserable.

Duncan smiled as he remembered. He'd always looked up to Joshua and wanted to be like him. Joshua was the only boy Duncan had ever met who could cram seventeen marbles in his mouth and call it a talent. The two years Duncan had lived there, Joshua had been his best friend, always at his side, always ready to plan up some new adventure. And in the summer when Joshua's cousin Kevin came down from Brooklyn, it got even better. Duncan had learned to skateboard and even picked up a new word or two that he wouldn't dare say aloud. That had been great. But then Duncan had moved to Virginia and lost contact with his wild friend. Even though it had been ten years, he could still remember Joshua's face. Wild red-gold hair, perpetually grinning amber eyes, and fangs that would make Lestat proud.   
            Shower done, Duncan shut off the water and wiped his fingerprints off the knobs with a clean washrag. He dried, brushed his teeth, cleaned the sink, washed the mirror and then went back into the bedroom to press his clothes. Calvin was a blanketed lump on the other side of the room. There was a definite dividing line between his roommate's sides. Duncan shook his head; he could never understand how people could bear to live in a mess. Of course Calvin was practically a neat freak compared to Jason. 

            After ironing a pair of black jeans and a t-shirt he was planning to wear that day, he looked at the clock, saw he had an hour left, and decided to go on the Internet. He pulled his laptop out from under the bed and wrinkled his nose at it. It was three years old. Practically ancient. He would seriously have to look in to getting a new one. He went online, checked his e-mail then went to Neopets to see how his Bruce was doing. There was a knocking sound from the computer, indicating someone had come on IM. It was TMH4ever. Before he could say hi a buddy window flashed up. On it was Japanese kanji with about twelve exclamation points after it. It took him a second to adjust to the language switch.

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!! it read.  He chuckled. 

Do I know you? he typed back.

Awww don't be meaaaan Chiriko!! You know who this is!!

Taka?

Noooo!! Guess again!!  Of course he knew who it was. Only one person in that family used exclamation points like they were going out of style.

Hikari?

lol! lol! Hikari's too little to type!!!

Then it must be Inu!

It's Miakaaaa! Miaka Miaka Miakaaa!!! 

lol. Hi Miaka. Is Taka there with you?

T: Yes. I'm here. Hi Chiriko. =)

Hey you guys. What are you doing up so early?

M: Taka kept me up allll night! Hee hee hee hee!!!  Duncan blushed.

Thank you for that need to know information

            M: lol! Just teasing!

            T: Actually Hikari got up and wanted to watch 'toons'. I don't think he understood a word of them though.

            M: Yes he diiid! He's smart! He gets that from his Daddy!

            Lol. Well I'm glad to hear he didn't get his brains from you, Miaka.

            M: Hey!!!

            So where are you guys now?

            T: Chicago. Our flight got grounded because of a snowstorm. Hopefully we'll be out of here by tomorrow.

            M: Do you think we'll miss the opening games?! Taka paid soooo muuuch!! 

            No. The Olympics don't start for three days yet.

            T: Are you going to see them?

            No. I have this big exam coming up. 

            M: Eeeeeww!!! Exaaam!! You study too much Chiriko! I order you to come with us!!  
            Maybe. 

            T: Do you know of any cheap hotels? The ones in Chicago are outrageous! Sixty American dollars for one night! It'd be easier just to pitch a tent.

            M: No!!!

            Lol. Yeah, there are a few. I'll show you them when you get here. There was a moment's pause and then:  
            T: Well we'd better go.

            M: Hikari's huuuugry!!

            T: _That _he gets from his mother. ;)

See you guys later then.

            T&M: Bye!

There was the sound of a closing door. Duncan smiled. Miaka and Taka were such a happy couple. He'd met Miaka some chatroom or the other one day and they'd just clicked. The nickname, 'Chiriko' was a little strange. He'd done some research on it and found it to be in the Chinese zodiac. Why Miaka had given it to him he had no idea…but it seemed natural.  He shrugged the thought off, and got dressed. Then he got his notes together and started from the room. He was halfway out the door when the phone rang. As Calvin didn't look like he'd be alive any time soon, Duncan answered it.

            "Hell-"

            "I have two minutes to get to work Duncan!" Jason bellowed. The twenty-year-old resisted the temptation to hold the phone away from his ear.

            "And you're yelling at me because…?" 

            "Where did you put my socks Mr. Clean?" the older man asked in a softer, but still angry voice. Duncan sighed and rolled his eyes. He could _not_ believe this.

            "Have you tried your sock drawer?" He heard the sound of stomping, the grinding of wood and then a moment of silence. 

            "Oh." 

            "Yes. Oh. Now do you mind? I have to get to a class." 

            "Sorry for yelling… I just…" Jason sighed. "I just don't know. I'm sorry." 

            "It's okay Jason. Hey, you have a weeks vacation coming up don't you? Why don't you come and see the Olympics with me? I've got some friends I want you to meet." 

            "I don't know. Maybe. I'll…call you later."

            "You'd better." Duncan hung up the phone and stared at it. Poor Jason. The Cassandra incident really tore him up. If that's what love did to someone, Duncan didn't think he wanted it. But the flip side was Taka and Miaka. But was that kind of happiness really worth a broken heart? 


	10. Tom

To Meet Again:

Part 11

Tom

~~~  
Knote: Something someone brought up made me think of something. If Taka and Miaka are flying from JAPAN, why are they going through Chicago? ^^; I'm not going to change it, I'll just think of something to explain it. This note is just so you know I realized the error. ^^: 

~~~

        The machine on the wall buzzed and began to print out an order on register tape. It kept on printing. Jason sighed, wrapped up the Deluxe Chili Cheese Burger and slid it into the window. They had been insanely busy since he'd got in, probably due to the Olympic traffic coming to Aspen. Finally the machine stopped printing. Jason ripped it off and stuck it above the heat table. Twelve Roast Beef Chili combos and a Chili Dog with no mayo. He started the roast beef slicer and began to toast the buns. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. It was always so _hot _back here…even in sixteen degree weather. He hated this job. He hated every aspect of this job. But it was the only job that the small town of Feto offered. 

            He'd only moved here because Duncan was going to college nearby and had requested it. Jason was only too happy to be near his friend. Unfortunately now he had the memories of both Danielle and Cassandra to contend with. He wouldn't move again though…he couldn't. He'd promised Duncan he'd stay put until after the boy graduated. But as long as he continued to be a 'hermit' as Duncan was so fond of putting it, he would be fine. Nothing could hurt him if he was alone. 

            The timer buzzed. Jason whipped the bread out of the toaster and started to make the sandwiches, fingers flying on instinct alone. The machine had started up again. He finished the final burger, slapped the hot dog together and turned toward the machine again. Rodney, the manager, was standing at the machine reading the order. 

            "You can go on lunch break Jason. I'll take over," he said, looking at him with his good eye. 

            "Thank you." He started to go to the break room but the manager's voice stopped him.

            "Are you planning to take your week's vacation soon?" 

            "No," Jason said with a sigh. He wanted too. He would love to get away from this place for a week. But with the Olympics coming up it was impossible. The restaurant needed everyone they could get their hands on. The manager smiled, it's kindness seemed strange from a man who wore an eye patch and was referred to as 'Captain Hook' behind his back. 

            "You've been with us for…what five years? Go to the Olympics…and take someone special with you."

            "Are you sure you don't need the help?"

            "We do. But we'll manage." His expression became stern. "Now take your lunch break and be back in thirty minutes. I'm watching the clock." 

            Jason hurried to the small, cramped break room, slipped on his sweatshirt and put on his scarf. He would have to stop by the diner when he'd built up the courage and see if they still had his coat. It wouldn't be any time soon though. Bad memories lingered in places like those. He made a small cheeseburger for himself, blessedly without chili, snagged a small coffee and went outside into the cold, sharp air. He sat on the curb with his lunch, staring up into the blue sky. The wind was slight but still managed to numb his hands and creep through his sweatshirt. He didn't mind. He'd take the cold over that stifling heat any day.   

            He let his gaze drop to the mountains in the distance, tall and bleak, covered completely with snow. Suddenly he could picture his manager up there on one of those mountains. He could see Rodney standing in a dark cave, an icy look in his eye, green light shimmering around his figure. And a girl…trapped in a crystal of ice… 

            "Miaka…" Jason found himself whispering. The name. There was something so familiar about it. The memory was like a moth, fluttering gently on the edges of his mind. Miaka… What did that name remind him of? Miaka… Miaka…

            "Meow." Jason jumped, the memory faded away like a wisp of smoke. He closed his eyes and shook his head. That had been very strange. He looked around for the source of the disturbance and saw a cat sitting beside him. The cat was a smoky gray with a triangular patch of white fur on his chest, white paws and a splash of white at the very tip of his tail. 

            "Mrrow," the cat said again, and began bumping his head against Jason's arm. Jason smiled and scratched the cat's ears.

            "You sure are friendly aren't you? Would you like something to eat?" A rusty purr rumbled up the cat's throat. He fed the cat some of his burger. This rewarded him with an even louder purr and more affection. It was almost like meeting an old friend. 

            "You don't have a collar. Who do you belong too little one?"

            "Rrrow," the cat announced, jumping up onto Jason's shoulder and curling against his neck. Jason leaned his head a little to rest against the cat's soft fur. It had been so long since he'd had a pet of any kind. But he couldn't have a pet. He couldn't afford one. It was nice though. He liked the weight of the animal on his shoulder and the vibration of the cat's purr tickled his neck. He let the cat sit there awhile as he savored his coffee and watched little gray clouds scud across the surface of the sky. It would snow later on… He hoped Tom had a safe place to sleep. 

            His watch beeped, telling him it was eleven-thirty. Time to get back to work. He set Tom down, gave him a final stroke and went back into work. By twelve he'd forgotten all about his little encounter. The lunch crowd hit them like a tidal wave and it was all he could do to get the orders done as fast as possible. Six O'clock arrived like a shot and Jason was relieved when it came. Gratefully, he clocked out, thanked his manager again for the vacation and left the restaurant. 

            The cat was sitting on the sidewalk where he'd left him, staring at Jason with intense golden eyes. 'What to you so long?' those eyes seemed to ask. The tall man knelt and scratched the feline under the chin.

            "Be good," he said, then stood and began to walk away. Tom followed him, tail erect and slightly crooked at the end like a question mark. 'Are we going home now?' he seemed to say. 

            "You can't follow me. I can't take you in. Now scat! Shoo!" Jason said, flapping his hands. Tom gave him a bored look and walked ahead of him like he all ready knew the way. Sighing, Jason picked up the cat to eyelevel and looked at him.

            "You can't stay with me. I'm sorry but you can't."  Tom smiled and licked Jason's nose. Impossible feline. Jason set the cat down and gave him a gentle boot in the opposite direction. Tom snorted and walked up to his side again, rubbing at his legs. Fine then. He'd just have to outrun the thing. Jason resumed walking, using long strides. The cat kept up with a startling ease. Jason walked faster and still the cat bounded along side of him, a smile pasted all over his whiskers. Jason broke into an all out run. He tore down two blocks and hurtled down the steps that led to his apartment, nearly tripping over the lawn chair on his porch. He fumbled for the keys, unlocked the door, dunked in and slammed it shut. 

            "Ha!" he said at the closed door. He strutted to the couch, feeling inordinately pleased with himself.  Once there however, he fully realized the impression he'd made to anyone who'd seen him. A six foot six man, in his thirties, running like a lunatic from a little cat.  Jason buried his face in his hands. _That _had been a really stupid thing to do. 

            Suddenly the doorbell chimed. Jason stood and slowly made his way over to it, hoping he wasn't blushing too noticeably. He paused with a hand on the knob. Did he really want to know? Did he really honestly want to know? _Get over it Jason. What's the worst it could be? _The worst it could be was Cassandra…laughing at him and calling him a total idiot. He was such a loser. The doorbell rang again. Bracing himself, Jason opened it and saw… no one. The porch was completely empty. What the-? No one could have run _that _fast and there was no possible place for anyone to hide. How weird. 

            Jason closed the door, turned and jumped a mile. There was Tom, sitting on the arm of the couch and staring at him. Golden eyes saying a very loud, very satisfied 'Ha!' Jason's gaze flicked from the door to the cat and back again. No… It couldn't be…

            "Did…did you…?" he started. Tom responded by licking his paw and washing his face with it. No…of course not…it was a cat. There was no way a cat could… But how the hell did it know where he lived? Jason shook his head. It was just his imagination. It had to be. Either way he was starting to lose it. Maybe he needed that vacation more then he realized. 

            He went over and picked Tom up again, holding the cat to his chest and running his fingers through the silky fur. 

            "You own me now huh?" he asked. Tom began to purr again. Jason smiled. Well…maybe he could have a cat. It was better then staying all by himself. It would be nice to have a companion who couldn't talk, couldn't admonish him for not taking care of himself and staying inside all the time and most of all, couldn't get him into trouble. 

            "How about this, let me change and take a shower, then I'll go out and get you all the things your little feline heart desires."

            "Mee-ow!" Tom said, and made a peace sign with his paw. Jason blinked and shook his head. No. Tom did _not _make a peace sign with his paw. One thing was for certain. He _really _needed a vacation. 


	11. Under Where?

**To Meet Again**

Part 12:  
Under Where?

**~~~**

**Knote: A puuun! It doesn't make much sense. But it's a pun. ^_^**

**~~~**

_Lumbar vertebrae are characterized by the large size of the bodies, the absence of costal facets on the bodies and the transverse processes… _The words blurred in front of Cassandra's eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and rubbed the bridge of her nose. The room was hot, very hot, sweat dribbled down the back of her neck and she knew her hair must look awful. The Professor must have turned up the heat full blast. She rubbed the back of her sore neck. Lord, the man was a camel! To top it all off, a headache was beginning to pinch at her temples. 

            "Now," the professor said in his slow, plodding voice. "Who can tell me what the ischiopubic  ramus is formed by?"  Cassandra looked up at the ceiling. She'd just read this yesterday. The heat was making it so hard to think. Someone else wasn't having any difficulty thought. Almost as soon as the professor had asked the question, a hand shot up on the other side of the room.

            "Yes Mr. Dunhill?" 

            "The ischiopubic ramus is formed by the union of the ramus of the ischium with the inferior ramus of the pubis." 

"Correct. Now remember the test in two days and…" the professor went on. Cassandra shoved her books in her bag, irritably wiping her sweat soaked hair from her face. She really needed to take a shower before going into work. Unfortunately Danielle wasn't going to be home from work until three and Ash had gone out skiing and had taken the house key with him. She shrugged the book bag onto her shoulder and looked up to see Duncan coming toward her. She managed a small smile.

            "Hello. Remember me?" he asked.

            "Yes… You're Jason's friend aren't you?" The name made a chill run up her spine. She shook it off. Why did she always react that way when she said or even heard his name?

            "Yes," Duncan said, his eyes downcast. For a moment, Cassandra wanted to ask how Jason was doing…but thought better of it. It really wasn't any of her business. They walked from the room and she couldn't help but smile at the blessed chill of the hallway. 

            "So Duncan, are you a med student?" she asked as she made her way through the press of people.

            "No. I have a double major in philosophy and history and a minor in computer technology. I just take the anatomy class for fun."  

            "For…fun?" Cassandra asked, stopping where she was and looking him in the eye. There wasn't a hint of teasing on his face. 

            "Yes. I find the study of the human body fascinating," he said, voice equally serious. 

            "How do you find the time for all of your studies?"  

            "Well…I've got scholarships out the wazoo, so it's basically like a job," he said with a shrug. Cassandra whistled. She'd known people who'd cracked with half the workload Duncan did. She found it hard to keep up with _one _major. Suddenly a ring bedecked hand slipped over her shoulder and a purring voice whispered in her ear.

            "Bounjur mademoiselle. Would you like me to take you away from this crowd?"  Cassandra removed the hand from her shoulder and turned to face the short Frenchman.

            "Hello Nick," she said in a deadpan voice. An exaggerated frown pulled down his lower lip.

            "You're not even happy to see me? I'm hurt. I'm wounded. I will die if I do not hear a kind word from you."  
            "Don't do it Cassandra, he'd make good fertilizer," Duncan said. Nick squeaked in outrage and punched his friend in the arm. 

            "Oww Nicky! Not so hard," the twenty-year-old whined, rubbing the sore spot. Nick flipped a strand of purple hair and rolled his eyes.

            "Wimp." Then the man's brown eyes lit on her again and smiled. "So belle, may I have the honor of walking you to your car?" Nick said and bowed with a flourish. Cassandra laughed.

            "After you put it like that monsieur, how can I resist?" 

            "I could," Duncan muttered. Nick ignored him and offered Cassandra his arm. She took it with a small curtsey. Nick then grabbed Duncan's arm and proceeded to lead them from the building.

            "Do you and Ash have any plans for tonight? Perhaps we could arrange some dinner. Just the four of us," Nick said.

            "Can't. Studying," Duncan said. Nick pouted again.

            "All you do is study _mon cher._ You need a night out. What do you think Cassandra?" 

            "It sounds like a good idea, but we'll have to reschedule. I have to work tonight," Cassandra said. They came out of the hall into a gentle snow flurry. It didn't look like it would turn bad…but then again, the weather around here had mood swings like nothing. She glanced at her watch. She had to be at the hospital in an hour. Maybe she could eat lunch with Nick, who was, at the moment, admiring the back end of a group of boys clustered under the pagoda. He was admiring them very loudly in fact. Duncan's face was entirely red and he looked ready to knock his friend into the next millennium if he didn't shut up. Cassandra couldn't help but giggle at that. Poor Duncan. Suddenly a thought occurred to her.

            "Hey Nick…" His attention immediately came back to her, much to Duncan's obvious relief.

            "Oui?"

            "I know this is going to sound a little…odd. But can I use your shower? I'm locked out of my apartment." 

            "But of course. I'll even stay out of the room," Nick said with a wink. He patted his coat pockets, looking for something. Then he pulled a fat black wallet with the picture of the Statue of Liberty on it.  Cassandra wondered why until she remembered that the Statue of Liberty was French after all…and female besides. The thought made her shake her head. In some respects, Nick was almost as bad as Ash. 

            She suddenly remember the present her boyfriend had given her that morning and heat flooded her cheeks. She had just woken up and there he was, standing over the bed and grinning like an idiot.  Between his two hands he held a bright red thong with the word 'Sexy' splayed across the front in rhinestones. 

            "For you," he'd announced, as if he'd just given her the best present in the world. Sometimes she wondered if he ever really knew her. Still, she didn't want to disappoint him and had promised to wear it. It wasn't as uncomfortable as she'd imagined, but just remembering that she _was _wearing it made her blush even harder. Hopefully the others would think it was just the cold.

            "Why don't I like the look on your face?" Duncan asked, breaking into her thoughts. She looked up at him, then back down at Nick who was smiling at her sweetly. She was about to ask who Duncan was referring too when she saw the slight narrowing of Nick's eyes and the deepening of the charmer's smile.

            "What face?" Nick asked innocently.

            "That face. You're planning something."

            "Oh…non, you're imagining." Nick then turned on Duncan and shoved his hands up his coat. Duncan jumped a mile.

            "Ack! What are you doing?!" 

            "Do not squirm so, _mon cher_! I can hardly keep a grip on it," Nick said in a loud voice, several students turned to gape.            

            "I don't know what you're talking about!" Duncan bellowed, trying desperately to bat his friend's hands away. 

            "You naughty boy, denying our love so readily," Nick cooed. Cassandra was caught between being amused and embarrassed. The expression on Duncan's face was priceless. A smile twitched at her mouth and she hid it with her sleeve, hoping the boy wouldn't notice.

            "Get off me!" Duncan squeaked. Nick laughed and slipped his hands from the boys coat. Then he hooked his arm through hers again and nearly dragged her off.

            "See you later _mon cher_!" he called, blowing a kiss. Cassandra raised her eyebrows.

            "What was all that about?"

            "Nothing, nothing," Nick said, gracefully flapping his hand. "Since I plan to stay for a while, I rented an apartment here in town." He slipped a key into her hand. "It's on 411 Johnson Street. You have to look for it because it's down some steps outside, there's a lawn chair out front I believe."

            "You believe?" 

            "Oui. I told the landlord to dispose of it, but you Americans aren't very service oriented," Nick said smoothly. They stopped before Cassandra's old blue mini-van. She fixed him with a long, suspicious look. Nick simply smiled at her. She shrugged to herself and climbed into the van.

            The apartment wasn't hard to find. In fact it was really easy. It almost was like she'd been drawn to it. The outside was shabby, but inside it was clean and a pleasant, familiar smell permeated everything. The apartment was small, with a tiny kitchen merged with an equally small living room, barely big enough to fit a couch and a TV. She peered into the room just off the kitchen and found it to be a bedroom. The bed's navy blue covers were messy, as if its occupant had just left. Upon closer inspection she realized that at least one of the occupants still remained. A big ball of gray cat lay snoring in the middle of the bed, hind paws tucked up to his nose.

            She smiled and stroked two fingers down his silky side. Seeing this cat was like seeing an old friend. The cat lifted his head and opened his eyes to mere slits. Then he meowed softly and began to purr. She chuckled.

            "Can you show me the way to the bathroom Sir Cat?"  The cat purred louder, stood and stretched luxuriously. Then he hopped from the bed and padded away. She followed him and felt her heart jump as he led her to the bathroom and plunked himself on the floor in front of it. It must have been just coincidence. If she didn't know better she could have sworn he understood her. She stared at the cat. The cat stared back at her. Then it yawned, jumped up into the sink and curled up in it. Cassandra shook her head. That must have been her imagination.  

            The bathroom only had a bathtub unfortunately. She checked her watch and found she had a whole thirty minutes to soak. She was surprised to discover a bottle of lavender bubble bath sitting inside the tub. 

            "Of course Nick has bubble bath," she murmured to herself. She should be more surprised at the fact that he didn't have a full makeup counter.  She put a little into the bathwater. Then when the tub was full, she undressed and slid it. The warm water closed over her neck and she sighed happily. This tub was bigger then most. It would practically be a swimming pool for someone like Nick. No wonder he liked it. She closed her eyes and lost herself to a watery world smelling of lavender. 

            The only thing needed to make it perfect was a fire. She could picture herself sitting in a wooden tub, floating with herbs, before a roaring fire. The room was sparsely decorated. Different herbs were strung across the ceiling, mingling their scent with the ones in the bath and jars of varying colors and sizes littered the shelves. Seeing that made her laugh a little. The man was so disorganized it wasn't funny. The door to the outside flung open and slammed against the wall. There was a cold gust of night wind that made goose bumps rise on her arms.  He was staring at her. The dark room hid his expression but she knew what it must be.

            "Wh…what are you doing here?" he asked, taking a hesitant step forward. 

            "I thought it was time to be more then just friends." She lifted her leg from the water, enjoying the sharp intake of breath it gained from him. 

            "But…I thought you said…"

            "That I was too busy…I know…" she rested her foot on the wooden rim of the tub and tried to pierce the darkness to see his face. "But I'm tired of waiting…aren't you? Besides…a healer who doesn't enjoy herself once in a while loses interest in her work…. Don't you think so?" He said nothing and remained where he was. She sighed and remorsefully got out of the wonderful hot water. She came over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. He was definitely interested. That much was obvious. But he remained still otherwise. It was like hugging a breathing tree. She sighed and started to slip away. A large hand on the small of her back stopped her and warm, gentle lips found hers. 

            The door slammed open, jarring Cassandra out of her daydream. The white tiled bathroom and harsh light filled her vision again. She blinked rapidly and put a hand to her forehead. Wow. What was that? That had been…intense. A scratching sound caught her attention. She glanced down at the floor and saw the cat pawing through her clothes. She reached out her hand to bat him away from them.  She froze as she heard footsteps coming toward the door. She had left the door open a crack, not expecting any company. Cassandra clenched her hand into a fist. It had better as _hell _not be Nick. 

            "Are you in there Tom?" a soft, deep voice asked. Cassandra froze again and stared at the door. It sounded like… But it couldn't be. What would he be doing in Nick's apartment? Tom trotted through the crack in the door, carrying something bright red along with him. 

            "What have you got there?" Jason asked. It took her a full three seconds to realize the implications of everything. She had just enough time to submerge most of her body in the water when the door creaked open. Jason was kneeling in front of it, holding her underwear in his hand. She had just enough time to catch his blush before she slapped a hand over her own darkening face. Oh. God. In heaven. She was going to _murder _Nick. 


	12. Wong Turn

To Meet Again

Part 13:  
Wong Turn

~~~  
Knote: Yes. I know. That pun is just wong. Don't worry, the next chapter is about Jason so don't get any wong ideas…and remember…two rights can't make a wong…no matter how hard you try. 

~~~

        Gold. Pure gold and filled with wisdom and knowledge. He had such beautiful eyes. Warm and almond shaped, the perfect blending of his Chinese/Japanese blood. Eyes capable of showing such kind passion as to make girls swoon where they stood. Andy's thoughts were abruptly broken as a clawed hand dug into his arm. He shot Kanashii a wounded look. Her blue eyes were wide and her other hand that gripped the dashboard had white knuckles.

            "What-?"

            "Andy if you must insist on driving, watch the #*$(ing road!" she snapped. Andy swerved automatically and shot his eyes back to the road. A large truck whooshed past them, horn blaring. 

            "Do all Americans drive so badly?" he asked, attempting to lighten the mood. The stinging slap Kanashii gave his arm told him he hadn't succeeded. 

            "I'm sorry love," he said, giving her a sidelong glance and a puppy dog frown. Kanashii said nothing. He sighed and looked back at the road. He hated it when she ignored him. It made him feel unimportant somehow. A glance at a street sign flashing by informed him that he was extremely lost. Common sense told him that this wasn't the best of times to announce it. Instead he sat back and pictured how wonderful he must look, cruising along in a gold colored Jaguar just like any other American Pop Star.  

After a while he stole another glance at Kanashii and found she had relaxed.  She was sitting forward in the seat, gazing into the mirror on the sun visor and expertly applying light pink lipstick. Her golden blond hair slipped over her shoulder and brilliantly captured a ray of sunlight that managed to peak through the dreary overcast sky. She was a beauty. A harsh, acerbic one at times…but still a beauty. 

He'd met her in high school, a year before becoming a foreign exchange student. The first time he'd seen her, he'd been stricken by a sense of familiarity. From that extravagantly colored hair, to her cool, controlled eyes, a deeper blue then he'd ever seen. She hadn't looked Japanese at all, rather a fallen angel come to Earth. And then she'd looked at him and smiled, and he'd been lost. How could he not love someone as beautiful as him?  

She hadn't returned his feelings though…and still didn't to this day. No matter how hard he tried to pretend otherwise. At least over the years she'd gained a certain fondness for him. It was more like the fondness one has to a special pet rather then a lover…but it was something. He could not stop loving her. His nature wouldn't permit it. He was doomed to love at first sight and once doing so, could never break out of it. It was tragic, but at the same time had a flair of fairy tale romance that greatly appealed to him. Kanashii sighed, once again breaking into his thoughts.

"You're lost aren't you?" It wasn't a question and Andy knew better then to try to lie. Still, old habits died hard.

"I'm not lost. I know exactly where we are." 

            "You do? Then tell me." No sooner had she spoken then a sign peeked above the horizon, telling their exact location.

            "Feto, Colorado." 

            "Wonderful Andy. Now how do we get back to the lodge?"

            "Why rush back to the lodge? This is such a…quaint…little town." 

            "Andy, first chance we get you are going to stop and ask for directions…do you understand me?"

            "But love…"  
            "Do you understand me?" she repeated, fixing him with a cool commanding look. He sighed. Turning around now would be such a waste of adventure. Arguing with Kanashii however would be long and involved and he knew he wouldn't win. So for know, he would have to kowtow to her wishes. Well…perhaps not kowtow. Bend slightly but never kowtow. He shouldn't have to kowtow. A Pop Idol with his prestige kowtowed to no one. Besides, he was far too beautiful to put his face to the dirty floor. His hair was lovely too. Soft and silky like a kitten's fur and falling down to his chest in a wonderful waterfall…

            "Andy! Road!" she snapped. He swerved again, nearly hitting a mailbox on the other side of the street. He got back on his own side, breathing a sigh of relief. These American roads were so strange! 


	13. Revenge

To Meet Again

Part 14:

Revenge

~~~  
Knote: Lol. Yes. Andy Wong cannot drive to save his life. ^_^ Back to Jason boys and girls!

~~~

        Jason stared at her. A million questions whirred through his mind. None of them seemed to find that minute way from his brain to his mouth however and left him kneeling in stunned silence. 

            "Could you please close the door?" she said, her voice slightly muffled by her hand. Luckily his body reacted quicker then his brain did and soon he found himself leaning with his back against the closed door. The image of her still burned into the back of his brain. He tried to blink it away. He didn't want too…but she would have to walk past him to leave and if he continued to think about her naked…things would get very awkward.

            "It…it's nice to see you again," the badly timed words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. There was silence from behind the door. He slapped a hand to his forehead. Perfect, just perfect. 

            "Not that I saw much," he said quickly. _Stupid! That's even worse! _"Er, I mean anything! I didn't see anything!" Except for her exquisite little knees and the top half of her breasts as they slid down into the soapy water.   _Stop it! _He commanded himself, whacking his forehead repeatedly with his fist.  _Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!_

            "Stop what?" the wonderful, warm, voice behind the door said. Dammit. Had he thought aloud?

            "Er…nothing. I was just…er…talking to Tom. He was shredding the couch. You know cats." He forced himself to laugh. It sounded as convincing as Duncan trying to lie. Again there was silence from the bathroom. Sweat beaded his forehead. It was definitely getting hot in here. He needed to open some windows, or throw himself naked into a snow bank, or something… Suddenly the doorknob jammed into his lower back. Good. Pain. He needed pain. It was better then that other feeling that was racing through him.  The doorknob pulled back a bit, then jammed into him again. 

            "Umm…could you let me out?" Cassandra asked. Jason leaped away from the door like it had burned him and turned to face it. The woman stepped out, like a doe cautiously approaching a moonlit meadow. Her blue eyes were focused on a spot just beyond his shoulder. 

            "I'm really, really sorry about this," she said. Now his mind went blank. He couldn't think of anything to say to her. He took in her oval face framed by dripping blond hair. Then, as if they had minds of their own, his eyes slipped down her graceful neck to her damp t-shirt and finally to her blue jeans that fit her hips so well. Jason forced his eyes away. _You're finally alone with her and all you can think about is __that?! _His mind snapped at him. After what he'd seen, it was hard to think about anything else. 

            A cool hand on his arm brought his eyes back to Cassandra. A concerned frown wrinkled her forehead, and her blue eyes searched his.

            "Are you feeling all right? You're sweating…and your hands are trembling. Maybe you should lie down." 

            "I…I'm fine…" he said, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the red cloth Tom had given him. For some reason, this cause Cassandra to turn bright red and bury her face in both hands. 

            "This can't possibly get any worse!" she moaned. As if to prove her wrong, the door swung open and in bounced Nick. The Frenchman was all bright eyed and smirking and suddenly things began to click into place. 

            "You," Jason said, narrowing his eyes. Nick lounged on a folding chair and clapped sarcastically.

            "How did you ever figure that out Sherlock?" 

            "Nick you jerk! You said this was your apartment!" Cassandra said, balling her hand into a fist. Jason instinctively took a step back. She could get scary when she got mad. Nick shrugged lazily and ran a hand through his hair; clearly unaware of the danger he was in. Then looked at Jason and raised one purple eyebrow. 

            "You have a lovely taste in underwear," the Frenchman said, gesturing at his hand. Jason looked and suddenly realized what exactly he was holding. No wonder Cassandra had… And was doing again now… Jason cleared his throat and held it out to her. Unsure of what else to do with it. Cassandra snatched it from his fingers and shoved it furiously in her jeans pocket. Then she rounded on Nick and grabbed his ear between her index finger and her thumb, digging her nails in slightly. The foreigner winced. 

            "Now Monsieur Papillion, you'd better start explaining yourself before I twist your ear off." 

            "Oww! Why are you always so violent?!" Nick whined, trying to dislodge her hand from his person.  Cassandra retaliated by pulling up and making Nick scramble to his feet. 

            "Talk!" she snapped. Jason glared at him, his embarrassment temporarily forgotten. He knew damn well why Nick had done what he did. The annoying little matchmaker. Well it wouldn't work! She was all ready taken and he knew her well enough to know that she would not break a commitment. Then it hit him. If Nick _did _tell Cassandra…then she'd know what a complete loser Jason really was. 

            "I only did it-" Nick started.

            "I've got a better idea for him," Jason interrupted. He crossed the room in two strides, picked the Frenchman and fairly ran toward the bathroom.

            "Mon Dieu! Jason, you're not going to do what I think you're going to do! You'd better not! I'm warning you, I'll-" Before Nick could finish his sentence, Jason reached the bathtub and let go. The lukewarm water splashed his jeans but it was well worth it to see the Frenchman come sputtering out of the water, hair plastered around his head like a bizarre purple mop. A string of foreign obscenities flew out of Nick's mouth as he tried to clamber out of the bathtub. Tom chose that moment to reappear and rubbed himself against Nick's unsteady ankle, causing the short man to tumble right back into the tub. Jason couldn't suppress a chuckle. He really loved that cat. 

            Jason lifted Tom up so he could clamber onto his shoulder and turned to leave the room. Cassandra was standing at the doorway, a hand failing to cover her broadly smiling mouth and her shoulders shaking with laughter. The sight of her warmed him; it was as if someone had piped hot chocolate through his entire bloodstream. He loved to make her smile. She caught his gaze, and her blue eyes shifted from amusement to fondness. She lowered her hand from her mouth and opened it to say something. A knock at the door interrupted her.   


	14. Finding

To Meet Again

**Chapter 15:**

**Finding**

~~~  
Knote: Actually technically this is the fourteenth chapter. I somehow managed to skip over chapter 7. ^^; That's okay though. Just think of chapter 7 like floor 13 in Wayside School. It's there…but it doesn't exist. Oh yeah, confession time. I have NO idea what a Jaguar looks like. ^^: I'm not sure if they have four doors or not. This one does… it's special. So thuppp.

~~~

Nick glared at Jason. How dare that big, dumb, barbarian drop him fully clothed in a bathtub? On top of everything, he just stood there, laughing at him. There was a knock at the door. Jason looked out the room, but before going to answer it, turned toward Nick and offered his hand. The warm smile on the tall man's face was enough to ease Nick's anger. 

            "I deserved that didn't I?" he asked, accepting his friend's warm grasp.

            "Yes you did. But I forgive you." 

            "I'll…go get the door. Is that okay?" Cassandra asked. Jason nodded. She left the room and he started to follow her, Nick grabbed his arm. Jason stopped and looked down at him curiously. 

            "I don't apologize for sending her here. But if I knew you had been out I would have waited until later," Nick said. Jason sighed and shook his head.

            "It doesn't matter. She's with Ash, remember? She wouldn't break up with him."

            "You don't know that. Besides, when I see you two together, everything seems so…right." He pitched his voice low so that the woman wouldn't hear. The look on Jason's face said that he agreed, but he said nothing. Suddenly there was a shrill scream and the door slammed. Jason dove out of the room, Nick right on his tail. The beautiful Cassandra was leaning against the door, face pale and eyes wide.

"What's wrong _Cherie_?" Nick asked at the same time Jason said: 

 "Are you all right Cassandra?" Her wide eyes flicked to them both and her mouth moved, though no sound came out. It was probably some perverted stalker or something. Nick delicately cracked his knuckles and marched to the door, preparing to give whoever it was on the other side a punch that would send them flying to Timbuktu. He gently pushed Cassandra out of the way, fisted his left hand and opened the door. 

"Sumimasen…" Was all the man got out before Nick screamed and slammed the door. He leaned against the solid wood, putting one hand to his pounding heart. It…it couldn't be…could it? Perhaps he should check again. He looked to Cassandra. She nodded wide-eyed agreement. He slowly opened the door and they both peered out at that remarkably beautiful face that now had a sweatdrop rolling down it. 

"Are you…" the singer tried again. Nick calmly shut the door, looked at the woman, then grabbed her hands and proceeded to jump up and down, squealing ecstatically. Cassandra joined him.

"You like him too?!" Nick asked in between squeals.

"Oh yes! He's one of my favorite singers!" 

"Me too!" And they began to squeal again. Nick was vaguely aware of Jason giving him a strange look, then stepping past him to open the door. Nick stopped squealing immediately and tried to compose his still soaking wet self into some semblance of order. He opened his mouth to say something witty and romantic to the handsome Japanese singer…but the only word that managed to slip past his throat was a strangled:

"Bonjur!" 

"Anoo…is everything all right?" Andy Wong asked in his smooth, honeyed voice that always seemed to carry a kind of an imperial grace. It was a voice that made Nick shiver down to his toes. 

"Don't mind them, they're lunatics," Jason said dryly. Nick glared at Jason and was about to retort when Andy Wong gave the Frenchman a smile that made Nick's insides twist into a little knot.

"I find these ladies to be rather charming," he said. Nick put a hand to his face and giggled wildly. Andy Wong thought he was lady! That was okay. He'd be whatever Andy Wong wanted him to be. Jason choked.

"Ladies?" he started. Before he could say anymore, Nick gave him a good swift kick in the shin and a matching glare to follow. Jason winced, then rolled his eyes, folded his arms and leaned against the door frame.

"Is there anything I can help you with sir?"  

"Hai. If you would. We're trying to get back to Aspen and we're lost."

"Just go down this road past the second stoplight and make a left. Then you keep going straight until…" Jason's voice blurred into the background as Nick lost himself in the beauty that was Andy Wong. The man was simply _gorgeous! Even better then on TV. Moderately tall, long legged, broad shouldered and had all the right amounts in all the right places…and probably a little more in one particular place.  _

"To Winging Road, then-" Nick's head snapped up at Jason's words. 

"Ooh! My hotel's on Winging Road," he cut in. "Would you mind giving me a ride Monsieur? I can tell you the rest of the way from there."  Andy Wong looked like he was about to say something, but Jason interrupted him.

"Have you even _been _to Aspen, Nick?"

"Once, but I have a very good memory. What do you say _Mon Cher- Monsieur!" _

"Very well my lady," he said, offering his arm.

"Ooh! How chivalrous!" Nick cooed.  Andy Wong chuckled and Nick's heart fluttered. The man could even _laugh _beautifully. Thanking whatever gods were smiling down on him, Nick slipped his arm through the other man's. The warmth of the singers arm seeped through Nick's damp shirt and gave him goose pimples up to his shoulder blade. Andy Wong walked him up the steps to where a beautiful gold Jaguar was parked. Strangely enough, Andy Wong opened the back door for him. Nick paused and opened his mouth to ask why he couldn't sit in the front. Just as quickly he shut his mouth again, deciding it was better not to press his luck, and gratefully slipped down into the leather seat. 

Nick watched through half-closed eyes as Andy Wong moved around the car and opened the driver side door. 

"Couldn't you have dried this one off first, Andy?" It was then Nick noticed the blond in the front seat. She was staring at him through the mirror in the sun visor, her blue eyes patronizing. Nick knew those eyes. He knew them very well. The utter giddiness upon seeing his favorite idol singer was replaced with coiling anger in the pit of his belly.  The car started with a cat's purr and pulled out onto the road.

"Be nice Kanashii." Golden eyes flicked up in the mirror to meet his. "This is Ryuu Kanashii, my-"

            "I know," Nick said shortly. He hadn't meant to sound rude but just the thought of her was enough to make his blood burn. First she'd had the gall to do what she did to Ash, then had started on Juilo, knowing full well Nick was still going out with him. The final insult had been her turning her sights on _him. _Nick had turned down her advances flat out. He refused to be used by anyone.

            "What's the matter? Are you still mad because I wouldn't go out with you? Why are all gay men so desperate?"  Nick clenched his teeth and glared at her. Fire burned in him, melting any words he could have said to her. For some reason, he was madder at the fact that she had revealed his gender then at the way she twisted the truth around. 

            "Oh! You mean you're…" Andy started, eyes wide. "Gomen nasai, I didn't know… I mean…I wasn't really paying attention…" Nick shook his head.

            "Don't worry about it," he managed to say. He leaned his head back against the seat slightly and closed his eyes, sudden shame filling him. He hadn't wanted Andy to know he was still gay. Still desperately searching for anything to fill his heart.  Nearly everything was different now…but still that longing remained. For friendship…for love…for something _more. _

            Kanashii began talking softly to Andy in Japanese. Since he couldn't understand it, Nick tuned the conversation out and gazed out the window. Telephone lines swooped past covered with a light dusting of snow. Everything around was covered with snow. He hated snow. He'd always hated it. It made everything seem so barren…so lonely.

            The cheerfully shining plastic sun of the Days Inn came into view. Nick felt a blush creep to his cheeks. This hotel was pathetic to someone of his wealth. He should be staying somewhere expensive and hopelessly French. Unfortunately, this was the only place that had a vacancy. 

            "Where would you like me to drop you off?" Andy asked.

            "Here will be fine." The car pulled to a gentle halt. Nick stepped out. The cold wind snapped into his damp clothing and chilled him to the bone. He flinched and fought the urge to slip back into the nice warm car. Instead he forced himself to walk ahead. The sound of the engine stopped and Nick suddenly realized Andy was going to walk with him. That was the last thing he wanted to happen. He picked up his pace and fumbled in his coat pocket for his wallet which held the hotel key. The wallet slipped through his numb fingers and landed with a plop in the soft snow.  A graceful hand plucked it from the snow before he could even bend down and held the black leather billfold out to him. With a resigned sigh, Nick took it and managed to get his key out. It was actually an electronic card that fitted into the door. He rather liked the old way better.

            "I prefer keys too. It gives you such a sense of power," Andy said. Nick looked at him.

            "I have a talent for reading people's faces," Andy said with a charmer's smile that Nick couldn't help but return. He started back for his room again at an easy pace, Andy falling in step beside him.

            "I don't mind you know…that you're gay. I've seen much stranger things then simple homosexuality." 

            "I'm not completely. I like women too. I wasn't trying to hide by the way…"

            "Hide?" Andy asked, confusion making an adorable little crease between his eyebrows.

            "Oui. When you thought I was a woman. I wasn't trying to hide…" He couldn't explain any further what he meant but Andy seemed to understand. The singer straightened and clasped his hands behind his back.

            "Iie. I didn't think you were. Old habits die hard don't they?" 

            "If at all…" Nick murmured. All too soon, the door to his room was staring him in the face. He stared at it and seriously considered moving on, just to have more time. Another cold wind made him shiver and think better of it. 

            "Well I'd better go in," he said, slipping the card in its little slot and putting his hand on the doorknob. 

            "Hai. You look cold…" He looked like he wanted to say something more. Nick waited patiently, staring into those all so familiar golden eyes. Andy nibbled his lower lip and looked away, like a child thinking whatever he said would be laughed at. Nick put his hand on Andy's arm and squeezed it gently.

            "You can always talk to me. I won't laugh at you." This time it was Andy's turn to look surprised. His astonishment faded quickly and was replaced by a tight, nervous smile.

            "It's ridiculous. Forget it." 

            "Tell me," Nick said in a stern, but gentle voice. Andy took a deep breath and fixed his gaze to the ceiling.

            "It's…just that…I have been looking for you for a long time. I've never met you before…but seeing you now, I know I have." His eyes reached Nick's again, pleading for him to understand. "But it's not just you…the man at the door…your friend…I feel like I've found him again too. And there are others out there…waiting for me…waiting to find me…."  He broke off and laughed a little, rubbing the back of his head in a self-conscious gesture that seemed strange for him.

            "But that's ridiculous isn't it? Kanashii always calls me a baka when I talk like this. Maybe she's right." 

            "Non. She's _not _right. I feel the same way you do. I've always felt it." 

            "Y…you have?" Nick nodded.

"Oui. So don't fret, I'm just as much of a lunatic as you are."  He laughed, truly this time.  
            "You're so cruel…but that's part of your charm."  
            "But of course," Nick said, putting a hand to his face and batting his eyelashes. Andy chuckled and shook his head. A car horn honked nearby. The singer looked in the direction, his mouth dropping into a frown.

"I should probably go."

"Call me sometime no? I'd enjoy hearing from you. Just call the hotel and say you'd like to speak to me."

"I would be honored. You're name…starts with an N doesn't it?" 

"Oui. Nicholas Renee Papillion. I'll tell them I'm expecting your call, so you'd better call me. If I'm humiliated in front of the entire hotel, I'm coming for you," Nick said, poking Andy lightly in the shoulder. 

"I will call you, Nick-kun. I promise on my honor," he said with a little bow. 

"You'd better."  After another smile, Andy turned and crossed diagonally to the parking lot. Fat snowflakes whirled from the sky and got tangled in his chocolate brown hair, the white making a brilliant contrast to the darkness of it. Nick smiled in appreciation. Maybe he didn't hate snow so much after all.


	15. On the Front Line

To Meet Again 

**Chapter 16:**

**On the Front Line**

**~~~**

**Knote****: This story is going to be a hellll of a long longer then I'd intended. ^^; See, first I was going to make it only about Jason and Cassandra, with a few cameos. Then I decided I wanted to bring everyone in. *Then* I decided to not only bring everyone in, but tell a little of their story. Those like Rodney though,don't get a story. ^^; Sorry. But everyone ELSE does. These knotes keep getting longer too. Oo;; **

**~~~**

The machine buzzed and the spat the order out. Jason hummed to himself as he ripped the paper away from the machine and put it under the little clip above the heat table. This was the last day of work. But it wasn't just the prospect of a vacation that cheered him.  After Nick had left with…whatever his name was…he and Cassandra had some time to talk in private. It hadn't been a very long talk and most of it had consisted of apologizing. But she'd smiled at him more then once and the warmth in her eyes had drawn him to her like a moth to a flame. She was such a wonderful, beautiful, amazing woman. Tom purred to let him know that he agreed completely.

            Jason glanced down at the lump in the bottom of his tucked in shirt, glad that the noise of the back would be enough to drown out the cat's loud agreement. He hadn't meant to bring Tom with him, but somehow the cat had managed to sneak in the hood of his sweatshirt without him knowing it. Upon finding him, Jason had to think fast to keep his pet from being discovered by the strict eye of Captain Hook.  Tom, as if he knew he was being thought of, began to knead Jason's stomach. He winced and lightly whacked the creature. Tom snorted in a disgusted fashion, but stopped using him as a pincushion. 

            "What's wrong Michaels? You sick?" asked a dry and slightly irritated voice behind him. 

            "Hello Trenton," he said without turning around. Trenton Tortesse was Rodney's right hand man and in training to be assistant manager. He was no worse then Rodney, but had the annoying habit of referring to everyone by their last name, even if he had worked with them for five years.  Trenton disappeared, probably to the break room to hang up his things, then was at Jason's side, skilled fingers wrapping burgers as soon as Jason made them. 

            "And no I'm not." 

            "Not what?" Trenton's voice still sounded irritated. But then, his voice always did. He was the kind of man who was only happy when he could gripe about something.

            "I'm not sick. What made you think I was?"

            "You're not comatose for once." Jason bit back a smart ass reply and went to retrieve the fries from the vat. He salted them and dumped them into the fry tray. Suddenly the manager's face poked into view from the front line, making Jason jump. 

            "You look happy today," Rodney said. Jason was immediately on his guard. Rodney only made statements like that when something unpleasant was about to follow.

            "I know. Isn't it amazing? I didn't even know the man knew how to smile," Trenton put in. Rodeny ignored him and so, for that matter, did Jason. The manager gave him a strange, narrow eyed look.

            "Is something wrong with your stomach Jason?" 

            "No," Jason said quickly. Perhaps too quickly judging from the suspicion that clouded the man's eye. After a moment of tense silence, Rodney's face relaxed.

            "Front line please."  

            "Wh…what…you mean me?" 

            "No, the Cookie Monster," Trenton said.

            "Shut up Trent," Rodney said calmly. 

            "But…" Jason spluttered.

            "You trained on the front line didn't you?" 

            "Yes but…"

            "Well Mary's taking the day off since you're going to the Olympics. She's going to fill in for you, so don't you think it would be considerate?" Jason sighed. There was no way he could get out of it. He didn't like the front line. He had never been any good at associating with strangers. But unfortunately it didn't look as if he had a choice.  Tom quietly meowed his sympathy.

            Jason stood for a moment and steeled himself, pretending to brush off his uniform and straighten his ridiculous chili burger crowned hat. Then he took a deep breath and walked onto the front line. Almost as soon as he was there, Rodney shoved a headset and battery case in his hands for him to answer drive-through and shoved him at the nearest register. Then he retreated back to the backline. The only other person on the front line was a gawky teenager with more pimples then skin and a messy mop of bright, blood red hair. She gave him a welcoming smile which he tried to return but failed completely. 

            "Helloooo," the old man standing in front of the register said angrily. Jason put on his headset, adjusting it with trembling fingers and rested his hands on the keyboard.

            "Can I help you?" he said quickly, his voice coming out flat and mean like it always did when he was under pressure. The old man scowled.

            "My order you idiot! My order!" he snarled, pointing a gnarled, age-spotted finger at the bag that had just slid onto the front line. Jason grabbed it and gave it to the man who took it. A lady with a pack of kids came up behind him.

            "I'll have ummm…"

            "Mommy I want a Cheeseburger!"

            "I wanna toy!"  
            "Nuggets! I want nuggets!"

            "I'll have four Kids Cheesburger meals and-"

            "I want nuggets!" 

            "We don't have nuggets," Jason said. The kid screwed up his face.

            "But I want nuggets Mommyyy!"  

            "Hush or you won't have anything," the mother snapped. There was a sharp rap at the drive-through window. Two men on motorcycles were looking in, one was obviously not happy.

            "Excuse me," he told the woman. He strode quickly to the window and flung it open. 

            "Hey asshole! We've been waitin' here for ten #$()ing minutes!" the man nearest the window snapped, glaring at him through rose tinted sunglasses. 

            "Yo. Calm down. It's chaos in dere man. Can't ya see?" the man's companion said. 

            "Just get the order will ya? How #$()ing hard is it to make two #$()ing double chili burgers and a coke." The man continued to complain as Jason put the burgers in a bag and hastily filled a large coke. As he handed the bag out the window, the man snatched it from him. The other man pushed his lavender tinted sunglasses to a more secure spot on his nose and gave Jason a sympathetic look.

            "Ya gotta forgive my friend here. We've been on th' road for days and long distance travel makes him cranky."

            "Shaddup Kevin!" 

            "Excuse me! Sir! I'm ready to order!" the woman with the kids called. Jason slid the window shut and went back over to where she was. He tried to keep track of her long and complicated order as her kids screamed and made nuisances of themselves. To make things worse, the drive-through beeped. 

            "I'll get it," the pimply kid said. Jason nodded his thanks and concentrated on what the woman was saying, his fingers stumbling over the keyboard as he tried to register her order. 

            "Heads up," Rodney said, as he came onto the front line with a tray of chili chicken. Jason moved forward, tripped onto the counter and felt four sets of claws digging into his skin. He sucked in his breath through his teeth. Ow. 

            "The man is making a funny face Mommy!" a kid cried gleefully.

            "Could you _please hurry up and get the order, I have to be at the theater in ten minutes!"  He hurried to get her order, nearly dropping her fries on the floor. When he'd finally gotten it all situated he handed it to her only to have the pimple kid say:_

            "Get the drive-through food please! The order's on the screen." in a voice that sounded on the verge of panic. 

            "Hey! I've been waiting in line for ten minutes and-" a middle-aged woman was saying.

            "Excuse me," Jason cut in. A spark of relief flitted through him as Duncan's mint green bug pulled around to the window. He opened it and was slightly disappointed to find Duncan's gothic roommate. 

            "Th…this place i…is a ripoff," Calvin said, handing him the change. Jason shrugged and put it in the cash machine. 

            "It's the only decent fast food place around here." 

            "I wo…wouldn't call it d…decent." The conversation paused for a bit as Jason went to fill his order. 

            "Is it as busy where you work?" he asked as he handed the bag out of the window. The student rolled dark brown eyes.

            "O…of c…course.  There are at least tw…twelve broken legs. D…damned tourists don't know how to s…ski." That was right. Calvin worked at the hospital. 

            "Do you know Cassandra?"  
            "K…Kionskey? Yes." 

            "If you see her could you tell her I said…" he stopped. What did he want to say to her? Other then that he felt something for her he'd never felt before and he adored her completely? Calvin stared at him, long fingers drumming impatiently on the steering wheel.

            "Tell her you said what?" he asked finally.

            "Hi," Jason finished, inwardly wincing at the lameness of it. The expression on Calvin's face said he thought so too and he peeled off, leaving the stench of smoking tires behind him. Jason closed the window and went back over to the register. The smiling face he saw there made his heart sink to his belly. Oh. Wonderful.

            "Hi handsome," Danielle said with a grin. Jason kept his eyes on the register, not wanting to look into her face. A face which had cost him several nights sleep. A face that he'd longed to see again…and yet wished he'd never _have _to see again.

            "Silent as ever huh?" she said with the hint of a sigh in her voice. He'd heard that tone many times before from her. Mostly when the word 'boring' was going to enter into her vocabulary. He had never wished so much for the earth to open up under his feet and suck him down. 

            "Can I take your order?" he said, knowing it was the only way to get her to leave.

            "If you look me in the face maybe." He reluctantly let his eyes travel upward. Mentally preparing himself for the lash of pain that would follow. Finally his eyes met hers and he felt…nothing. Not so much as a twinge. Her eyes which had haunted his dreams now were just normal. 

            "Glad to see me again?" she asked. Was it his imagination or was there an undertone of mockery in her voice?

            "Will you give me your order now?" 

            "Trying to get rid of me so soon?" she asked, with a slight smile. Her lips were thin. Not full like Cassandra's. Her smile didn't show half of the warmth that Cassandra was capable of.  

            "What do you want?" he asked flatly, not interested in whatever game she was playing. She'd always liked to play games with him. In the past he'd let her, willing to do anything to keep her. Now he was beginning to find it tiresome. 

            "I need you to do me a favor."

            "What?"

            "Lend me seventy bucks."

            "No."

            "Aww comon' Jason please? For me? I love you," she said giving him a ridiculously exaggerated puppy face. Cassandra would never resort to that. Then again Cassandra wouldn't have too. Cassandra would have simply asked for the money and if he'd said no she would have given him a look and calmly explain why he should or regret it for a very long period of time. Even when she didn't threaten, she was a very difficult woman to say 'no' to. 

            He could remember one time he'd wanted to stay in the village with her rather then go fight an outbreak of something in a village twenty miles away. How he'd wanted to stay by her. Stay with her. But she managed to make him go, even though his instincts were screaming at him that something was going to happen. Something evil. That had been right before-

            A hand waved in front of his face, making him blink. Suddenly he found himself staring at Danielle, knowing he'd had a very absorbing thought a few minutes ago but couldn't remember for the life of him what it was.  She gave him an annoyed look. He continued to blink at her, trying to get his brain to function again.

            "What?" he managed. 

            "Lend me seventy bucks." There was no pleading in her voice now. Rather it was a hard command. 

            "Why?" 

            Danielle rolled her eyes and snorted in disgust. In the past, that would have gotten her the moon and stars wrapped up in a pretty red bow. Now Jason was feeling rather irritated himself.            

            "What does it matter?"

            "Why?" he repeated.

            "I want to go to suntan on a nude beach," she said, frost glittering in her blue gaze. Strangely enough, the look didn't affect him at all. He continued to stare at her. 

"Ugh!" she said throwing her hands up in the air. "I want to go shopping okay?! You're rich, you can afford it. Besides," she continued, her voice changing from irritated to honey sweet. "I've missed you and I was thinking maybe I could go out with you again. Now that my roommate's boyfriend is here, I'm lonely." _Poor poor pitiful you, he thought.  He managed to refrain himself from saying these words aloud and instead settled for:_

"I have to buy a new shower head." Now it was Danielle's turn to look taken aback.

"What?" 

"I have to buy a new shower head." Which was true. The old one fell off right before he went to buy stuff for Tom. Landed right on his head too. 

"There is a line behind you," Jason said, hoping she would get the hint.  Danielle stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to decide if he were serious or not. Then her face twisted into a snarl that reminded him of a bulldog he'd been chased by once.

"You are such a jerk!" she snapped, then turned away from the counter and stalked off. He sighed inwardly. She was such a child sometimes. He was beginning to wonder now what he ever saw in her. Actually, the answer to that was rather simple. He'd been desperate and she'd been broke. 

"Shit," said the next man in line. Although his pronounced country twang made it sound more like 'Shee-it'. The Texas t-shirt he wore and the brown ten-gallon hat crammed over his auburn hair screamed cowboy even when his accent didn't. 

"That an old flame of yours?" the Texan asked, jerking his thumb in the direction of the door. Jason rolled his eyes.

"More like old mistake."  The cowboy shook his head and dug his wallet out of his back pocket.

"I know how that is. I dated one of that kind myself. Mine was worse though." 

"Oh?"

"Yup. Mine was Japanese. Sometimes when she spoke in her language, I couldn't tell if she were prasin' me or insultin' me. Man, that gal tore me up. Luckily I saw the light and broke up with her. Problem is though, she's a damned hard woman to forget."  

Jason nodded. "I know exactly how you feel."   
 


	16. Stirrings of the Heart

To Meet Again  
Part 17:  
Stirrings of the Heart

~~~

Knote: You wanted to see Joshua and you did! And Kevin too. ^_^ I hoped you enjoyed it. That's the only appearance he makes in the story. *ducks flying brick* Kidding! Kidding!

~~~

        Cassandra rubbed the back of her aching neck. Why was it, when one person broke their leg, everyone else had to go and do the same thing? She hadn't seen this much paperwork since someone had accidentally upset the file cabinet.  Not only that, but she had to work overtime to boot. This was not helping her study time at all. A gentle hand touched her shoulder. 

            "You look bushed. Why don't you take a coffee break?" Patricia asked. Cassandra looked back at her friend. This girl was all gentleness and smiles. She volunteered at the hospital on her days off. Cassandra could not _imagine working here and not getting paid for it. The stress alone required serious reimbursement. Cassandra smiled and put a hand on the older woman's._

            "Thanks. If I don't get coffee soon I'll fall asleep right here. I have a great pillow," Cassandra said, gesturing to the mountain of paperwork in front of her. A laugh crinkled the corners of Patricia's exotic Asian eyes.  

            "I can see how it would be tempting," she said. Cassandra stood and stretched out the crick in her back. Then she went down the hall and up two flights of steps to the cafeteria. Why they insisted on putting it on the third floor she had no idea. She bought a coffee and as the sun was shining and there wasn't a snow cloud in the sky, decided to go out and enjoy the day. 

            Down she went again, taking the elevator this time as not to risk spilling her coffee and went outside into the little brick lined grass space that sat in the bend of the U shaped hospital. Actually snow space would be a more accurate term. Most of the stone benches were covered with a thick layer of snow. The only one that looked relatively dry was a bench one of the janitors sat at. Fortunately it was one she knew. 

            "Hey Calvin, what's up?" The man took a draw from his cigarette before answering.       

            "Not much," he said, flicking the ashes into the snow. She took a sip of her coffee, savoring the bitter liquid on her tongue. She really didn't like coffee…but it gave her a boost on long days like this one. They sat for a while in silence. Calvin finished his cigarette and took a sip out of his own Styrofoam coffee cup.  Cassandra clicked her tongue.

            "Cigarettes and caffeine? Firing with both barrels are we?" she said, only half joking.

            "And wh…whiskey too. When I can af…af…af… get it." She wanted to ask if life was really so bad that he wanted to ruin it. But she refrained from saying it. It was none of her business after all and she wasn't his doctor. Not yet at any rate. And not going to be if she didn't get time to study. She finished her coffee and stood. 

            "Jason said h…hi."  Chills ran up her spine and she found herself smiling. 

            "Really? Wow. What else did he say?" the exuberant, overly eager expression tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. Immediately she wanted to hide her face in her hand. Oh boy. She'd definitely been at work too long.  Calvin shook his head.

            "Nothing." 

            "Oh." Strange disappointment filled her. _Well what did you want him to say? _she admonished herself. She waved goodbye to Calvin and threw her cup away. She went to the main desk where Patricia was speaking to a perky looking teenager with chestnut hair.

            "Your brother's room is 319. Just follow the yellow lines and tell him to me more careful next time."

            "Thank you. My big brother can be pretty reckless," the girl said with a little giggle. Then bounced merrily off.

            "I'm back, rather reluctantly, but I'm back," Cassandra said. Patricia turned in her chair and smiled, pushing a strand of light brown hair over her ear. 

            "Don't worry about it Sweetie. I know your anxious to go home and I don't have anyone to teach tonight." 

            "Are you sure?"

            "Perfectly. Now go on. Spend time with Ash," Patricia said, making delicate shooing motions with her hands. Cassandra smiled gratefully and left to get her keys. She hadn't spent much time with Ash lately. She'd been too busy with studying and work to pay him much attention. He'd been patient though. In some ways, she was lucky to have Ash. He was a great guy. But lately she was beginning to wish she wasn't so…attached.

            The ride home was uneventful, and when she got home the first thing she saw was a note on the table saying Ash had gone to the Starlight Café. Good. That gave her time to study. She went into her room, pausing for a moment to shove her things in her packed closet. Ash's huge jeans lay on the floor where he'd tossed them last night. She tossed them in the closet as well then changed her mind and decided to wash them first. A trip to the washing machine revealed that she had run out of soap. Now she would have to go out and buy some and leave studying for later. _Oh darn, _Cassandra thought with a grin.

            She grabbed her purse, swung on her jacket and walked out the door. In some ways she loved Feto. It was small, but everything you needed was in walking distance. Three blocks and a bridge later she found herself in front of the Food Market. Despite the name, the store sold everything from bananas to wrenches.  Grabbing a shopping cart, she put her purse in the child seat and began to meander through the well-lit halls of the store. She waved to at least five people who knew her. In a small town store like this, it was hard not to run into people she knew. Everyone came here. It was a great place to go to find out how friends were doing and trade gossip. 

            She wheeled the buggy around to isle six and stopped. Jason was standing there, back turned to her. Cassandra's heart skipped a beat and she suddenly found herself almost giddily happy to see him again. Which was odd considering their last meeting was something of an embarrassment. _Just leave, she told herself. _If he keeps running into you, he's going to start thinking you're stalking him. _Her mind paused for a bit, then added. _Actually that's not a bad idea. _ She shook the thought from her head. She would have to leave before he noticed her. _

            Unfortunately however, her body had an entirely different idea. First it remained rooted to the spot, then when she insisted it move, she found her feet carrying her closer to the man she wanted to avoid. Still he didn't seem to notice her so her body decided to carry it one step further.

            "Hi," her mouth said, acting totally independent of her cringing brain. Jason turned and the immediate smile that lit his eyes was enough to turn her insides to mush.

            "Hi."

            "What are you doing here?" they asked almost on the same breath. Then broke off laughing. 

            "I'm…" they started again. Jason chuckled and gestured that she should go ahead.

            "I'm buying some clothes detergent."

            "Not much of a shopper are you?" he asked, peering with lifted eyebrows into her half full cart. She giggled and hit him on the arm. 

            "Don't make fun of my shopping Mr. won't go out until you're starving."

            "You're more of a procrastinator then I am." They had began walking but at that statement she stopped to glare at him. Well…try to glare. The smile simply would not leave her face.

            "I am not!" The small smile that lifted his cheeks told her that he was laughing at her. She playfully hit him again and began to walk quickly, nose in the air. He followed her. His long strides easily keeping up with her.

            "Don't get me wrong. When someone needs you, you're there. But as soon as it comes around to making a poultice or medicine it's 'Juan honey, I need a favor…'" The high pitched voice he used at the end of the sentence made her laugh. Damn the man. He was simply impossible to stay mad at. Or even get mad at for that matter.

            "That doesn't make me a procrastinator, that makes you a door mat."  
            "No that makes me a good healer. If I hadn't done it, you wouldn't have gotten around to it and no one would have any medicine."  She couldn't think of anything to say to that. They walked for a bit in silence. Now that she thought about it, she had really no idea what they'd been talking about. It happened a lot when they had been children…slipping into that kind of a conversation. Back then she had never questioned it. Now it seemed a little strange. 

            "Do you remember anything about third grade?" she asked, looking up into his face. He smiled and paused for a moment to finger a little velvet infant dress. 

            "I mostly remember you."  Cassandra was more flattered then she could find words to say. Now that she thought about it, all of her memories of that time seemed to center around the serious little boy with blue eyes. 

            "I remember how we always used to go down the slide together because you thought I was afraid," she said, smiling at the distant memory.

            "Weren't you?" 

            "No. Not at all." She laughed a little. "I think I just wanted to be with you…" _And still do… her mind said wistfully. __No! You have a boyfriend Cassandra Alexandra Kionskey!  Besides, it was third grade; there is no way he feels the same after all these years. They were silent as they came to the check out line. Her purchases luckily only filled three bags. As they went outside into the beautiful day, she knew she'd have to say goodbye to him. Say goodbye before it was too late. She was about to tell him when she saw a strange look twisting his face._

            "What's wrong?" 

            "Nothing…much…. Hold on a second." He set his bag on the ground and took off his sweatshirt. Underneath was a blue button down shirt that was emblazoned with a chili burger. Then she noticed the strange way his stomach hung. Funny, she hadn't noticed that before. Her mind shifted through all the medical knowledge she had, trying to figure out what kind of disease could produce it. The thoughts fled however as soon as he began unbuttoning the bottom half of his shirt.

            "Umm…" she started. A blush splashed across Jason's cheeks.

            "It's not what you think…" Almost as soon as he said this, a cat tumbled from his shirt and landed in the snow. Cassandra put a hand to her face to hide her smile as Tom gave his owner a reproachful look.

            "You've been in there long enough and I'm tired of you digging your little claws in me." The cat's ears laid back a little and he walked away, tail tip twitching. Cassandra laughed.

            "Aww…poor Tom. I think you hurt his feelings."

            "They'll mend. Lord knows, I've bought him enough stuff," Jason said, rebuttoning his shirt. He slipped the sweatshirt back on and flicked the hood into a more comfortable place. Cassandra shifted the bags in her hands.

            "I'll get one of those," Jason offered.

            "Oh thanks." As soon as he had relieved her of one of her burdens did she realize the predicament she was in. Now he would have to walk her home. Well as long as she didn't talk to him it wouldn't be a problem. She started across the parking lot, Jason right beside her. She was safe right until they reached the sidewalk.

            "Do you remember Mr. Tryger?" Jason asked.

            "Tryger?" She narrowed her eyes, trying to remember. 

            "The gym teacher."

            "Oh! Right. The one who was always chasing after all the women in the building." She laughed at that revelation. As a child, she'd never understood why all the woman teachers acted angry around him but smiled with their eyes. Now, of course, she knew. Tryger had been an absolute charmer.

            "Did he finally settle down with anyone?" she asked. 

            "As a matter of fact he did."

            "Who? No wait, don't tell me. Miss Greenbury."

            "Nope." Amusement sparkled in his eyes so she knew it must be someone interesting.

            "Surely not Mrs. Dovenan?" 

            "I'll give you a hint, he used to call her Tryger Lilly." Cassandra put a hand to her mouth.

            "Miss Lily? You can't be serious! Miss Lily always said that she'd never have anything to do with him!" 

            "Well apparently she changed her mind. They've been together twenty years…or so I've heard," he said with a shrug. Cassandra smiled. Love happened in the strangest ways sometimes. Suddenly she discovered that she had both bags in one hand and the other was slipped around his arm. She blushed and was about to edge her hand away, when a flower display from a nearby shop caught her attention. Beautiful yellow flowers mixed with feathery green plants splayed in a white vase. 

            "They're beautiful," she breathed.  Jason said nothing but somehow she knew he agreed with her. 

            "Do you want them?" he asked.

            "Oh…oh no Jason. That's all right. You don't have to buy them for me."

            "Are you sure?"

            "Positive. They'd just die anyway." That statement made him flinch and she felt a certain discomfort as well. She tried to brush the feeling away, unconsciously hugging closer to his arm as she did so. They continued to walk. Home was close. She frowned and gradually slowed down her pace. She wanted to keep walking with him as much as she could. After this, she couldn't allow herself to see him again. The feeling inside her was so intense…if she let it grow any longer; it would hurt all the more when he told her he didn't feel the same way. 

            The real question was; how could Danielle ever find a man like this boring? He wasn't the most talkative, but when he did talk it was always something interesting or amusing. He had a wonderful sense of humor and he was always so warm and gentle. Gentle even when dropping aggravating French men in bathtubs. The thought made her chuckle. 

            Suddenly something cold dripped through her hair and slid icy down the back of her neck. She gasped and put a hand to her head to find a lump of snow there. She extracted the snow from her hair and looked up. There were no trees or buildings from which it could have fallen from. So how in the world…? She looked at Jason. He had assumed the innocent expression of someone who was obviously guilty. She threw the snow in her hand at his face; he dodged back, narrowly avoiding it. 

            "Now Cassandra, what did I ever do to deserve that?" he asked, his lip pulling out a little. 

            "You know exactly what that was for!" she said, reaching down and scooping up another snowball. He laughed and ran from her. She threw it with all her might. He tried to dodge it but got hit in the shoulder. Immediately, he crouched and began to pack another one in his hands. If he thought he was going to get her again he had another thing coming. She dropped her bags and made a snowball herself, then straightened and shrieked as one smacked her on the forehead.

            "Sorry, it's just that you're so short," Jason said, not sounding a whit apologetic. Cassandra gasped in mock outrage and threw her two snowballs at him. Not one of them got anywhere near his face. The fight progressed and soon the air was thick with flying snow. Finally Cassandra sat and held up her hands in front of her face, nearly breathless from laughter and exertion.

            "That's enough! Mercy! Mercy!" 

            "Give in do you?" he said coming closer. She rested her hands beside her on the snow and tilted her head a little to the side as she looked up at him.

"I do believe you're gloating," she said, curling her right hand around a lump of snow.

"Me? Gloat? After throughly beating a midget? Banish the thougfh!" Cassandra laughed as Jason scraped the well thrown snowball away from his mouth. She stood, put a hand on her hip and gave him a cocky smile.

"You were saying?" He gave her a quick grin. She tensed but before she could bolt he lunged over to her, picked her up and was hurtling toward a nearby snowbank. She shrieked and threw her arms around his neck.

"No! No Jason don't you dare!" she squeaked, kicking her legs futilely. He laughed and held her over the mound of snow.

"What's the magic word?" 

"You do it and I'll kill you!" 

"Wrong word!" he said gleefully and relaxed his arms. She screamed again and hung on for dear life. He caught her before she could fall very far and laughed softly deep in his chest. Again she tried to glare at him, but as always, her smile ruined everything.

"You big meanie! You're worse then Ash." It was as if someone had flicked off the light. The smile disappeared from Jason's face and for an instant his eyes became sad. Almost as soon as she saw the sadness though it was replaced by something else. A kind of distance. He set her down gently and went to get the bags out of the snow. Cassandra stared after him, wanting nothing more to apologize…but how could she? She somehow knew it was the mention of Ash that had upset him. She went up the steps that led to her apartment and he brought the bags to her, his face an emotionless mask. Sudden anger welled inside her.

"Stop it right now Jason," she snapped. He blinked at her, surprised. A question in his eyes almost louder then words.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about dammit. You did this to me right before you left for that village. Do you know how hard it was going through what I went through and the last memory I had of your face was so distant? Like you didn't care? Did you ever wonder why I couldn't completely rest? Juan sometimes you're such a-" she cut off, mid tirade and put a hand to her head. What in the world was she _saying? It was pure nonsense._

"I…I'm sorry…I…" she started. A small smile came back to his face though his eyes didn't reflect it.

"You don't know how hard it was to stop feeling… How hard it is to stop feeling now…" He shook his head, as if he couldn't express himself any further then that. Sadness pulled at her heart. She tried to smile.

"Anyway…I had a fun time Jason. It was great."  

"Yes," he said, with a bittersweet smile. He started to go down the steps.

"Jason," she found herself saying. He turned and looked expectantly up at her. Cassandra stared back at him. She hadn't known why she'd said that and now wasn't sure what to say. He was two steps below her and she was a little taller then he was for once. Almost without thinking, she leaned down and kissed his forehead.  She started to say thanks but then her eyes met his and the word died on her lips. He had such beautiful eyes.  

She brushed her lips gently against his. He reached up and returned the kiss before she could fully pull back. His lips were gentle, questioning, not going to take anything she wasn't willing to give. She wrapped her arms around his neck, fingers stroking the hair at the nape. Suddenly she found herself wrapped in his arms, the kiss deeper now. One of his hands moved slowly up and down her back while the other held her firmly against him. Liquid heat seeped through her. She wanted him. It was just a simple meeting of the lips but it woke all the longing in her and more then she even knew existed. It had been so long since she felt him against her… Inside her… Ash wasn't…

Oh God. Ash. Ash! Her boyfriend of so long. Her boyfriend who didn't deserve this from her. She pulled away from Jason, gasping. The shopping bags had been dropped at some point and now lay on the steps, remarkably still with their contents. She scooped them up in her arms and hurried for the door.

"Shouka!" The name made her stop in her tracks. She half-turned, trying to gather her wits.

"Juan--Jason! Jason, I'll call you okay? I'll call you." She ducked inside the apartment and shut the door as quickly as she could without slamming it. Then she rested against the solid wood and slid to the floor. What was happening to her? Everything was getting so…confusing. She loved Ash. She really did. He was one of her best friends. But Jason…was something else. Something deeper. Maybe she was just losing it. 

She slowly pawed through her bags and laughed half amused, half hysterical as she realized she'd forgotten the detergent. 


	17. The Heart of A Wolf

To Meet Again  
Pat 18:  
Heart of a Wolf  
  
~~~  
  
Knote: I have a new fic! If you like Ruroni Kenshin…be sure to check it out. ^_^   
  
~~~  
  
  
  
It was a full moon. The bright, shining orb hung large and low in the velvety black of midnight. He watched it, absently smelling the different scents on the wind. A doe and her fawn were nearby, and somewhere in the brush, a nervous fox searched for dinner. What would he eat tonight he wondered? What would the madness drive him to eat? Or…his human side shivered at the next thought…who?  
  
Ash sat back and read what he had written. His critical eye skimming the lines for typos, poor grammar or a badly turned phrase. Finding nothing to correct, he took off his reading glasses and nibbled on the end, trying to think of what to write next. His mind remained frustratingly blank. Sighing, Ash took a sip of his tea and ran a hand through his thick hair. Maybe he could bum some money off Nick and go skiing. Skiing always cleared his head. Then again, perhaps not, Nick had all ready spent enough on him this trip. "Hey," said a voice behind him. He turned and couldn't help but smile as he saw Danielle. Hell-o Goddess, he thought, but settled simply on saying. "Hi." "Can I?" Danielle asked, gesturing to a chair. Ash straightened and set his glasses on the table. "Of course." She sat and smiled at him, resting her chin on her hand. "So what are you doing here? I would have thought you'd be somewhere with Cassandra," Danielle said, fixing him with sparkling azure eyes. "She had to work." "Between work and studying, you two have hardly spent any time together," she said with a little frown. Ash shrugged. They usually didn't spend a lot of time together…even when they had been going out. Both of them had been busy with different extracurricular activities. There's was not a relationship of frequent 'together time'…which was probably why they were still together. And he didn't mind it…he really didn't. It was just sometimes…he wished for something a little more.   
"So what are you doing?" he asked.  
  
"Oh…just trying to get money from someone." Her face twisted into a scowl.   
  
"I take it you didn't get any."  
"No. I didn't have any cash and I needed to pick up a new pair of jeans before I went to work but nooo. He couldn't even lend me a few bucks the jerk. Exes can be such a pain in the ass."  
"I know the feeling."   
  
"So…what are you doing?" she asked, gesturing toward the laptop. He closed it self-consciously; not liking anyone looking at his work before it was finished.   
  
"Nothing…." He was reluctant to tell her what he was really doing. Most people looked at him strangely when he said he was a writer. He supposed a big guy like himself was more adapted to being a bodyguard then an artist…but he enjoyed putting words on a page. There was something comforting about putting nightmares on paper…or computer, as the case would be.   
  
"I don't believe you. I think you're hiding something."  
  
"Just call me a man of mystery."   
  
"If you think I'm just going to leave it at that, you have another thing coming."   
  
"You're going to have too," he said, lounging back in his chair and sipping his now lukewarm tea. Danielle folded her arms on the table and leaned forward.  
  
"You'd better be careful Ash. You're giving me a challenge and there's nothing I like better then a challenge."   
  
"Well then, have fun," Ash said, saluting her with his mug. She smiled. He liked the way she smiled. She seemed to have a way of conveying a variety of different emotions. Mischief, determination, amusement. She didn't try to hide her smile either, like Cassandra tended to do. As they continued to talk, he found Danielle almost the complete opposite of Cassandra. Danielle enjoyed hiking for a romantic night out while Cassandra preferred to snuggle. Danielle thought wrestling was the best sport ever invented. Danielle loved wine coolers, rode bareback and longed to get her own ranch where she could breed Dobermans. In fact the only similarities between the two was a love for shopping. Ash supposed that was a common feature in women. At least all the women he'd ever known. Especially Kanashii, when she got down to it you couldn't pry her away from the mall with a lever.   
  
"But that's enough about me. Tell me about yourself. I know you train dogs, but what else do you like to do?"   
  
"Ski…flirt with beautiful women…" That statement earned a laugh from her. "Train dogs…read…"   
  
"Oh really? There's this really good book called Heart of the Wolf, by Tare Dragoon. It's only the first one in a trilogy but the others haven't come out yet." Ash nearly choked on his tea. He stared at her, trying to discern if she were teasing or not. Her eyes were happy but serious. Well damn. What a small world.  
  
"Did you really like that?" he asked, wincing a little at the tentativeness in his voice. Danielle either didn't notice it or decided to ignore it; instead she nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"Oh yes. I thought it was great. I love the idea how the Werewolf is painted as a sympathetic character. Have you read it?"  
  
"Well…actually…" He faked a cough and played with his teacup. Even though she'd said she'd like the book…something inside of him balked at telling her. She gazed at him with a smile, awaiting an answer.   
  
"Actually what?" she prompted.  
  
"I wrote it." He hid his face by pretending to drink from the mug and felt a sense of stupidity when he realized there was no tea left.   
  
"I thought you might have… that's why I brought it up…" Again he was forced to stare at her. This time though, his mind was completely blank. Finally his mind offered he ask her why she thought this way…but for some strange reason, his lips were having a hard time moving. She saved him from the effort though by seeming to read his mind.  
  
"It seems like you… The energy…the passion…the irritable charm…of the human side at least. I can almost picture you as the main character. And might I add that I consider him sexy as hell." This last statement caught Ash off guard and he burst into laughter before he could stop himself.  
  
"You are bold aren't you?" he said. A strangely seductive smile played across her face.  
  
"That's why they love me."   
  
"I don't blame them…" he murmured. She laughed and he couldn't help but grin. Danielle was one hell of a woman. But then…so was Cassandra. His smile faded. It wasn't that he didn't like Cassandra. They had fun when they were together…and they had been together for a long while too. Perhaps too long a while to keep on pretending that what they had qualified as a relationship. In the past, he was just content to be friends. Now…he wanted something more… 


	18. Parting Ways

To Meet Again  
Part 19:  
Parting Ways  
  
~~~  
Knote: This is not the last chapter...repeat...this is not the last chapter. I still haven't introduced everyone yet. ^_^  
~~~  
  
There was a long, uncomfortable silence. There had been one since they'd gotten in the restaurant. Cassandra poked her salad and tried to think of something to say. Anything would do…except the thing she'd been wanting to tell him all evening. She looked up. Ash seemed to be brooding over his steak rather than eating it. His deep red eyes met hers, then quickly looked away and his broad shoulders heaved in a sigh.   
"Cassandra, I have something to say. I've wanted to tell you since yesterday," he said, meeting her eyes again. The fact that he used her full name was enough to know that he was about to say something serious. The woman steeled herself and hoped he wasn't going to propose.   
"You know I love you," he continued, reaching across the table and enveloping her hand in his. "We've been together for a long time…" No. She had to stop this. She wasn't ready for a relationship of that type…at least not from him.   
"Ash I-"  
"Don't interrupt Cass. It's really important that I say this."   
"I have something important to say too. I really don't think…"  
"This relationship is working?" Ash asked, a hopeful look in his eyes. Cassandra stared at him.   
"You aren't here to break up with me are you?" she asked. The sheepish look that crossed his face told her more then words ever could.   
"Umm…well…"  
"I hope not, because I was going to ask you to marry me," she said in as serious a voice as she could muster. Ash's eyebrows shot up and he looked like he was about to topple out of his chair at any moment.  
"Er…well…I…" His stuttered response was too much for her. Cassandra broke into giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. Ash looked at her like she'd grown an extra head. His brows lowered as realization came over his face and he began to laugh as well.  
"I was all set to break your heart too," he said when he had calmed down a bit, giving her a puppy dog face. She smiled and shook her head.  
"Sorry, but it was something I had to do Ash."   
"You don't know how much of a relief that is," he said, sitting back in his chair and sawing at his tough steak. Cassandra sat back as well, a peaceful feeling flooding her heart. Now she could finally be with the one she had waited so long for.   
"So who is it?" Ash asked. Cassandra concentrated on her food and fought hard to keep the blush from her cheeks.  
"What makes you think it's anybody?"   
"Call it a hunch," he said with a wolfish grin on his face.  
"I'll tell you if you tell me."  
"Er…actually...Danielle," he said, ducking his head a bit. Cassandra smiled.  
"I'm glad. I think she's perfect for you."   
"Now it's your turn," Ash said, leaning forward. "Who is it?" Cassandra balked at telling him. It wasn't that she didn't want him to know, it was just she knew what his reaction was going to be. Still, she knew that he wasn't about to let her get away with not answering the question so she might as well say it.  
"Jason…" she murmured. As expected, Ash laughed.   
"What? You mean Mr. Boring? You don't even know him!"  
"You don't know Danielle." Ash raised his glass to her.  
"Touché."   
Cassandra was surprised at how calm the break up had been. From what she'd seen, most break ups were emotionally charged affairs leaving at least one participant depressed. She didn't feel depressed at all. Instead she felt peaceful…almost serene…as if everything were falling into place.   
As soon as she got home, she was going to call Jason. She couldn't wait for the sound of that soft, deep voice coming over the telephone. Every time he talked, it was almost like he was embracing her. And the next time he kissed her, she wouldn't have to pull away. The next time she could stay with him and kiss him until the world ended…and be perfectly content at that.   
A hand waved in front of her face, breaking off her thoughts. She blinked and looked at Ash. There was a fond smile on his on face. Suddenly she realized he'd been talking to her. She smiled, a little sheepish.  
"I'm sorry, were you saying something? I didn't catch a word of it."   
"I was saying that you had such a pretty smile. What were you thinking of?"  
"Jason," she said, realizing with a kind of a start that she wasn't embarrassed by saying that.   
"Wow. Third grade romances are really something." Cassandra decided to ignore the joking tone to his voice and instead stared into the flickering candle flame  
"No…it's more then that. It feels like I've known him before…" She shook her head and shrugged. "Sounds stupid doesn't it?"  
"I don't think so. A lot of the people I've met I've felt the same way about. Nick for example. It was like everyone I meet is somehow connected together in some bizarre past life."  
"It couldn't be any weirder then the life you have now," she said with a smile. He grinned.  
"You're probably right."  
The rest of the evening went well. As soon as they got back to her apartment, Ash had asked Danielle to go out with him. Danielle's answer had been one very deep kiss that had tempted Cassandra to tell them to get a room. They had all sat down to watch the Olympics, but not half an hour later, the new couple was out the door for a romantic stroll up a steep, frozen mountainside.   
As soon as the door had closed behind them, Cassandra got the telephone book from under the table. It wasn't that she was embarrassed to talk to Jason in front of Ash, it was just that she knew Jason would value his privacy. Flipping through, she found about a dozen Michaels, but thankfully only one Jason. Anticipation made her fingers tremble as she dialed the number. Soon. Her mind kept whispering. Soon. Soon.   
"Hphrgl?" said the sleepy voice over the phone. Cassandra raised her eyebrows. It was only eight o'clock and he had never been much of an early sleeper.  
"Hi Jason," she said.   
"Cass-" his voice was cut of by a thump and a loud clacking noise. A cat meowed in the background and she could hear him mutter a curse. She giggled.   
"Cassandra," he said again.  
"Are you all right?" she asked, unable to keep the laughter out of her voice.  
"Yeah…I… um…missed the chair."  
"Graceful as always," she said, tucking her knees up to her chest and cradling the phone on her shoulder. Instead of a sarcastic reply, there was silence.   
"Jason?" she asked after awhile.  
"I thought you were never going to call me." His voice was distant and a little sad. She smiled to herself. Her news would lift him right up.  
"Well I have."  
"Cassandra? I umm…was…umm…wondering…if umm… If…you know…we could…umm…go see a movie or…umm…something tomorrow."  
"Nothing would thrill me more." There was another thump, the screech of a feline in pain and a stream of apology from Jason. Cassandra was about to respond when she realized the apologies were directed at the cat rather then her.   
"I'm really sorry about that," Jason finally said. "I just stepped on the cat." She laughed.  
"So I gathered. Poor Tama."  
"So you really want to go out? I thought you and Ash were…"  
"We broke up."   
"Oh…I'm sorry…" He didn't sound the least bit sorry. That was understandable though.   
"So, what are you doing Jason?"  
"Falling asleep on the couch. Now I guess I'm watching the Olympics."  
"Me too." Cassandra continued to talk with Jason. Sometimes saying things just to hear the sound of his voice. On the screen, a Chinese figure skater glided over the ice…going for the gold. 


	19. Destiny

To Meet Again

Part 20:  
Destiny

~~~  
Knote: Awww…their first date. ^_^ Enjoy!  
~~~

          Jason ran a comb through his hair with trembling fingers. Tonight was the night. Tonight a whole lifetime of waiting would be over. Tom seemed to catch his excitement. The smoky gray cat was alternately jumping around the couch and tearing from the bedroom to the living room at top speed. Jason glanced at the clock. Cassandra would be here any minute. He ran the comb on more time through his hair, silently thanking Duncan for cleaning his apartment. Tom ran into the room once more, screeched to a stop, plopped down and stared at Jason with bright golden eyes.

            "Mrrow," the cat said. Jason crouched and scratched between the animal's ears.

            "What is it hmm? Are you hungry?"  

            "Merow," Tom said. He went up to the bedroom door, pressed a paw against it, sat still for a few minutes, then looked back at Jason as if asking if he understood. Jason shook his head. What a strange animal. Tom sighed heavily and proceeded to put on a purple wig. Jason stared. Oblivious to his shock, the cat proceeded to slip on a blue dress that looked like something people in old China might wear. Jason closed his eyes tightly.  No. He was _not _seeing this. This was simply not happening. Not at all. 

            Suddenly the doorbell rang. All thoughts of the cross dressing feline fled from his mind as he shot toward the door. Once there, he composed himself as not to look too desperate and flung it open.

            "I am so glad to see…you…" his voice trailed off at who he saw. 

"I'm so glad to see you too _mon cher_," Nick said, reaching up and patting his cheek. Jason sweatdropped.

            "What do you want Nick?" 

            "Well, Duncan and I were going to go to a movie but he had a last minute cram session…or so he says. As you have no life, I was wondering if you would like to come with me."  
            "For your information, I _do _have a life," Jason said. This statement was followed by a derisive snort from Nick that he decided to ignore.  "Is there anything else."  
            "Non," Nick said with a sigh. "Not really. If you want to continue being a hermit, that's fine with me. But after the Olympics are over Andy is going to take us all skiing and you'd better be there," Nick said, shaking a finger in his face, or rather at his chin. 

            "All right, I will, now go away," he said. He sounded ruder then he'd meant, but he was impatient. Cassandra should have been here by now. Nick seemed to take it the wrong way. He humphed, flipped his little French nose up in the air, and walked away, hair swinging.  Jason rolled his eyes and shut the door. He grabbed the remote from the kitchen table and flicked on the TV.

            "…And in later news, rumors abound that bonze medallist Lao Wei Jun wishes to defect to the United States," the news lady was saying. Jason settled back into the chair to watch. No sooner had his rear hit the metal then the doorbell rang again. He sighed, put the remote on the table and opened the door again.

            "What do you want?" he said exasperated. Then he saw who it was and wished he could eat his words. Cassandra looked up at him, wide eyed.

            "Didn't you invite me over?" she asked, a hint of laughter in her voice. He gave an inward sigh of relief. 

            "I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else. Would you like to come in for a few minutes?"

            "Sure."  He stepped back and let her slip past him. She was wearing a light blue dress that clung to her until it reached her hips, then swirled out to dance around her feet. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant French braid. He suddenly wished he had more in his closet then t-shirts and jeans. 

            "You look wonderful," he said. Her whole face seemed to glow at the compliment. 

            "Thanks." She moved to sit on the couch and he sat beside her. He couldn't think of anything to say but at the moment, there was nothing to be said. It was wonderful just to sit here beside her and bask in her presence. The soft smell of lilac drifted up from her and tingled pleasantly in his nose. He could just sit here like this forever.

            "Isn't he good?" Cassandra asked. Jason blinked. Wondering for a moment what she was talking about. 

            "Isn't who good?"

            "Him," she said, gesturing toward the TV. "Lao something…"  The brown haired figure skater flew across the ice, performing elegant pirouettes as easily as if he was standing on the ground.

            "I could never do that. I tried skating once and couldn't stay off the ground for more then a few seconds," Jason said. Cassandra laughed, reached over and squeezed his hand.

            "Well that's not what I love you for," she said with a smile. He stared. Loved? She loved him? He couldn't help but stare at her as she stood and turned off the TV. Then she smiled down at him and offered a small but strong hand.

            "We're going to be late," she said. He stared at her a few more moments, then slowly stood, wrapping his hand around hers. She squeezed his again and together, they walked out into the evening.

            Much, much later on they were walking arm in arm down the snow covered street. The movie had been gooshy, sappy and extremely romantic. Jason had loved it…but then…he'd always been a sucker for those kinds of movies. The fact that the lead character looked a lot like Cassandra helped matters too.

            "Wasn't that wonderful Jason?" the beautiful, wonderful, perfect woman at his side asked.

            "Yes."  
            "I loved it how she was searching for so long and when she finally stopped looking…there he was." 

            "Me too." They walked in silence for a moment. Then she unhooked her arm from his, took his hand and looked at his palm. Cocking her head to the side a little, she began to trace something on his palm with her finger. He chuckled.

            "Do I have a long lifeline?" he asked. She gave him a sheepish little smile and slipped her hand in his.

            "I hope so."  
            "Not that I mind, but what were you doing?" Her shoulders moved up then down. He smiled. The woman could even shrug prettily. 

            "I don't know. I was just…I don't know…" There was a slight pause then: "Jason…?"

            "Hm?"  
            "Why do you work at Burgers Deluxe?" Oh lord. Did she have to bring that up? The thought of it made him blush again.

            "It was the only place that was hiring."  
            "No…I mean…why aren't you a doctor." She had stopped walking and was now looking at him. He turned to face her but looked down at the snow rather then meeting her gaze.

            "Well…I went to medical school…"

            "But…?"

            "But there was this girl and…and I well…dropped out." He didn't know what her reaction was going to be. But he never expected her to give a frustrated sigh and throw her hands up in the air.

            "You are impossible." 

            "What?" he asked, surprised to find that he was irritated.

            "You know perfectly well 'what'. God, I cannot believe you Juan," she said, rolling her eyes heavenward.

            "I thought I loved her okay? When she broke up with me I just couldn't stand being there with her."  
            "That's bullshit and you know it. She was just an excuse so you could hide again. When are you going to learn that you can't hide from your destiny?" Destiny. Destiny. It was always destiny with her. Jason folded his arms tightly across his chest and looked away from her. She would never understand. No matter what he said, she would never understand. Cassandra put a hand on his arm.

            "Just think of everything you can do. All the people you could help. There's so much suffering in the world…"

            "What about my suffering?" he said, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "When has the world ever cared about me? My family either dies or has no time for me. The people I love most in the world die right in front of me…. If I can't help the people I need to when I need to do it, then my destiny is a curse."  Cassandra came in front of him, her blue eyes blazing.

            "It's a blessing damn you. Do you know what you could do for the world? How much pain you could end?"

            "I lost you once because of it. How could it be a blessing?"

            "You saved me. Don't you understand? Nothing could have stopped me from dying. It was my destiny to die. But you saved me from being something worse." Her eyes turned soft and she put her hands on his arms.

            "Accept your ability…please…. If you deny it, you'll be denying yourself…"  No. He couldn't accept it…and wouldn't. He would not lose her again. It was his time to be happy dammit and he wasn't going to let anything take that away from him. Cassandra sighed softly and stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself as if she was cold. A sudden, sinking feeling twisted his gut.

            "Very well…if that's how you choose to be…" She turned and started to walk away. 

            "Where are you going?" he asked, reaching out for her. She stopped and looked at him over her shoulder.

            "When you find yourself…call me." As she walked away, a light snow began to fall, dusting her hair and coat. Jason watched her until the darkness of the night fell over her. He closed his eyes tightly and clenched his left hand into a fist. No. He wouldn't give in. He would just move…into the mountains. He'd go so deep into the mountains that no one would be able to find him. Maybe the next time he wouldn't be cursed with this. Maybe the next time…they would be together.


	20. Coming Together

To Meet Again:  
Chapter 21

**Coming Together **

~~~  
Knote: Nope. It's not over yet. This is the halfway mark. The next few chapters are going to get a little away from Jason as everyone is introduced…but the ending will be all about him so, no worries. ^_~

**~~~**

            Nick scowled at the snow floating past the window. Why did it _always _snow here? Closing the gaudy red curtains, he slumped on the uncomfortable bed and stared at the blank TV. The Olympics were long over for the day and there was nothing else on. Duncan was busy, Jason was rude and Andy wasn't supposed to call for two hours yet.  There was absolutely nothing to do. 

            He stood again and looked at the door to his room. It was plain and white, with a peephole to see outside and a list of fire exits on it. Suddenly he found himself turning the knob and walking out into the hall. It was as if his body was being controlled by something else and he was just someone along for the ride. Logic dictated that he should be alarmed…and his heart was beating rapidly. Strangely enough, the emotion that stung his eyes and closed his throat wasn't fear…but happiness. Complete joy. He didn't understand it, but he was never one to fight a good feeling.  

            As he reached the door that lead to the lobby, he suddenly became himself again. He blinked and stared dumbly at the sign on the door that advised people to 'pull'. It was as if something was giving him a choice. A quiet voice inside of him said that if he opened the door, his life would never be the same again. Another voice, that seemed to come from his very soul said that if he didn't, he'd always regret it. Nick pushed open the door and walked right into a heated argument.

            "Please, you're the last hotel in the area. I don't want to risk driving in that weather," the man in front of desk said. A smile lifted Nick's face. The man had short blue-black hair and a heavy Japanese accent. Nick was certain he'd never seen the man before in his life. Still there was something about him that was so familiar.

"I'm sorry sir, but we have no vacancies. Perhaps you can try the Super 8 just up the street."

            "They're full too. Please, can't you do something?" the man asked. The heavy clerk shook his head. 

            "I'm sorry sir. But-"

            "Oh, there you are Taka," Nick said, sashaying up to his old friend and grabbing his arm. Taka looked down at him, his violet eyes wide. Then a warm, welcoming smile that he was so good at, lit his face. 

            "Nuriko…"  
            "I'm so glad that you found this hotel. You never were any good with directions," Nick went on. Taka started to babble something about how his sense of direction was just fine and Nick happily cut him off. 

            "My room number is twenty-three, that way," Nick said, pointing.  The taller man's violet eyes were completely blank. Nick rolled his eyes. Usually it wasn't Taka who was so thick.

            "Unless of course you _want _to spend hours looking for another hotel." 

            "Oh…" Understanding suddenly lit Taka's face. "Oh! But are you sure we wouldn't be putting you out?" 

            "There's always room for friends," Nick said, giving the man's arm a little squeeze. 

            "Thanks a lot. I'll just drive around okay?"

"Oui."  Nick watched him go through the double doors, then glanced at the suitcase Taka had left on the floor. It was huge and looked just as heavy. The petite Frenchman rubbed his hands together, wrapped his hands around the handle, braced himself and picked it up, fully expecting to be driven to his knees. The weight of the thing made him stumble. Not because it was heavy, but because it was so light. What did he pack? Feathers? Shrugging, Nick flung it casually over his shoulder and began the walk back to his room. 

It was strange; he didn't even know his new roommate. But the man's name had just spilled out of his mouth like he'd known him forever. He would bet his life on the man being married too. The car pulled up just as he got to his door. The passenger side door flung open and Nick braced himself automatically, not really knowing why. Not two seconds later he was attacked by a big armful of pregnant Miaka who couldn't seem to stop shouting his name. He laughed and put a hand on her russet hair. 

            "It's good to see you too," he said, smiling down into her shining eyes. She giggled, her eyes sparkling.

            "French! How kawaii! It suits you!"        

            "But of course," he said with a wink. 

            "You know, you really haven't changed," Taka said, coming to stand beside him. In the crook of Taka's arm was a little boy, about two years old. His brown eyes were wide as he regarded Nick and he sucked his pacifier fiercely. Nick's heart turned to oatmeal.

            "Awww…he's so cute!" He dropped the suitcase at Taka's feet and plucked the baby from his arms without really thinking. The child stared at him, not a trace of fear on his face. 

            "Bonjur little one. I am your Uncle Nick. Can you say Nick? Hmm?" he asked, cradling the child close. Instead of answering, the boy laid his head on Nick's shoulder and promptly fell asleep. 

            "I think he likes you," Miaka said, her eyes shining with unshed tears. 

            "Hai…. Hikari has really bad taste in women," Taka said. Nick decided to ignore that comment and shifted the baby to one arm so he could unlock the door. He swung it open, glad now that a two bed room was the only one available. Unfortunately, he had to give Hikari to his mother to help unload the car, but as soon as it was finished, he took his nephew back again, not even minding the string of drool that was beginning to seep into his collar. 

            Taka lounged back on the bed, folding his arms behind his head and kicking off his shoes. Once settled, he sighed contentedly.

            "I love American hotel rooms. Even the cheap rooms are big." 

            "Still in love with money?" Nick asked.  

            "Iie," he said, at the same time Miaka said: "Hai!"  Nick laughed. He didn't understand Japanese at all, but somehow he knew what they meant. Of course Taka was still in love with money. Taka would always be in love with money. It was the part of Tamahome he'd never be able to get rid of. But Nick didn't mind. It was part of his charm.  

            "Ooh, I'm hungry," Miaka said, putting a hand to her rounded belly.  Fondness warmed Nick's heart. That was another thing that would never change.

            "I can see. You've gotten fat," Nick said. Miaka yelped in outrage and he knew that if he didn't have the baby, Miaka would have shoved a pillow down his throat.

            "I'm pregnant!" she said heatedly. He chuckled to let her know he was teasing.

            "Of course, of course. Is it a boy or a girl?"

            "Both!" Miaka said with a mother's pride. Nick whistled. 

            "Do you want one?" Taka asked. "If not, we're planning to sell them. They'd fetch a good-" He was cut off when his loving wife began to beat him to death with a pillow. Nick laughed. It was so good to be with them again. It was even better then meeting Andy! 

            "Ack! I was joking! Joking!" Taka said, lifting his hands to ward her off. 

            "You'd better be," Miaka said fiercely. 

            "You should be ashamed Taka," Nick said, unable to keep the smile from his face.

            "Hai!" Miaka said.          

            "Selling your own children like that." He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

            "Hai!" Miaka said.  
            "It would be much easier to just put them in a box on a street so people can choose."     "Hai!" Miaka said, then her eyes narrowed. "Nuriko!" she whined. Nick tried to restrain his laughter so he wouldn't wake the baby. Taka however, had no such reservations and proceeded to laugh his head off. Again Miaka attacked him, her thin, but strong arms flailing as she tried to smother her insensitive husband. When she was too tired to go on, she sat on the edge of the bed, arms folded. 

            "Aww…Miaka…gomen nasai," Taka said, putting an arm around her. Miaka remained stiff in his embrace. With a fond smile, Taka lifted her chin and kissed her. The woman curled into her husbands arms like a kitten. Nick smiled; it seemed like any minute, the two would start to purr.  Seeing the two together should have made him wildly jealous that he didn't have anyone yet. Instead, it comforted him, it told him that deep, everlasting love really did exist…and all he had to do was wait. 


	21. Reassurances

**To Meet Again**

**Part 22:**

**Reassurances**

**~~~**

**Knote****: This chapter is written with a big thanks to Chibi Kaz! *bows***

**~~~**

            It was hard to believe that just last month, she had been despairing that she'd ever meet the others again. But Taka had been right. They would meet…and they had! First seeing Hotohori on television, then meeting Chiriko and now… Miaka smiled at the violet haired man that was stretched out on the other bed. Hikari was curled up next to him. The boy who was usually so shy around strangers seemed to consider Nuriko family. Of course, Nuriko was family in a way. He'd always been like an older sister to her.  Nuriko met her eyes and smiled. She couldn't help but smile back. Everything was the same about him. It was as if nothing had changed.

            "Have you met any others? Do they remember? How much do you remember? It's so good to see you again!" she said, excited but pitching her voice low. It was late and if Hikari woke up now he'd never go back to sleep. Nuriko shrugged a little.

            "I think I have met others, I don't know. What am I supposed to remember?" he said. Taka's arm slipped comfortingly around her shoulder. Miaka stared at the violet haired man. Nuriko…didn't remember? No…no it couldn't be true! He must be teasing! She laughed softly.

            "You can't fool me Nuriko. You have to remember. You knew who we were. You weren't even surprised to see us."

            "Miaka…" Taka said softly. The familiar warning was in his voice…telling her that she shouldn't have asked because it would hurt to know the answer. But it wouldn't hurt. It was fine. Nuriko was just joking! He had to be. But there wasn't a sparkle of humor in his eyes.

            "My heart knew who you were and I always make a point to follow my heart_ cherie_.  I know that we met in the past but as for what happened then…" he trailed off and shrugged. Her heart lurched. If he couldn't remember what had happened, then he didn't know what he'd been to her. Suddenly, Nuriko seemed like a stranger. His face which had always been so soft and feminine was angular with high cheek bones. The way he was lying was casual, and before, no matter what he was doing, it was always ladylike. This wasn't right! She clenched her hand into a fist. No. This couldn't be. She had to make him remember!

            "You were a seishi. One of the seven who protected me, don't you remember? Don't you remember how you dressed up as a woman to make Hotohori fall in love with you? Don't you remember telling us about  Kourin? Don't you remember Mount Black…" Taka squeezed her shoulder gently. She twisted her head up to look at him. He shook his head once and she realized she'd almost said too much. Nuriko didn't need to be reminded of Mount Black.

            "What you say sounds familiar…but…strange," Nuriko said, drawing her attention back to him. "I know that I have dreamed of them…but everything's dark." 

            "I see…" Miaka said, lowering her eyes. It would do no good. Suddenly a thought struck her. She looked back up at Taka again.

            "Do you think that he had memory stones too?" she asked hopefully. She wouldn't mind having to go on another quest as long as it would make Nuriko, Nuriko again. Taka pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head and with a sinking stomach, she knew his answer before he even spoke it.

            "Iie. I don't."

            "I wish there were," she whispered. The other bed squeaked a little as Nuriko got off it. Miaka watched him sadly as he knelt beside her bed and took her hand in both of his. He gently kissed her fingers. Another thing Nuriko had never done…and she could never picture Nuriko doing.

            "Miaka, _belle, people change," he said in his thick, French, unNurikoish accent. "We can't stay the same from one life to the next…because every life is different. But don't worry, even if we change, we'll always love you…and remember you. You are part of me…and all of us."_

"But everything will be different."

"Oui. I don't doubt that it will. But…if you had a choice…who would choose? Taka? Or Tamahome?" 

"Taka is Tamahome," she said with a frown. 

"Isn't he different?"

"Hai…but he's the same too." 

"And I'm Nick…and also Nuriko. Different…but the same. Just because things change doesn't mean we're going to be any less happy then we were before. We might even find greater bliss.  So don't worry, _cherie_. No matter if I remember or not, I will always love you." Tears stung her eyes. With a happy sob, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He held her close, stroking her hair. 

"You're an emotional twit, you know that?" he said. The teasing of his voice was so familiar it only made her cry harder. 

"I think it's mostly the pregnancy," Taka said. "Every minute is a new mood swing." 

"That's not true!" she said, half laughing, half crying.  Nuriko pulled away a little and looked into her face. He brushed away her tears with his thumb and smiled, but there was concern in his eyes.

"Miaka. I have to warn you. I have always believed that things happened in the Past. I have always believed that I'd meet everyone again. As I said, I follow my heart wherever it leads. But the others will not be so easy to convince. Some of them might even become scared. No matter what the reaction…remember that nothing has ever kept us apart before. Not even death." 

"Hai," Miaka said, nodding and sniffling. Then she smiled at him and opened her mouth to tell him just how much she'd missed him. She was interrupted by a knock at the door. Nuriko picked her up and plopped her unceremoniously on Taka's lap. She shrieked in indignation and her husband groaned.

"Oof. Elephant woman," he said. Miaka narrowed her eyes and paid him back for that insult by making herself comfortable and scooting her heavy rear right on his stomach. 

"Mercy! Mercy!" he wheezed, waving his hands desperately. She cheerfully ignored him. Nick laughed and opened the door. Miaka's breath caught as she saw who stood there. A young man, tall and thin with immaculately combed chestnut hair. There was a bit of peach fuzz on his upper lip. Despite the changes, the sea-green eyes still held the shy wisdom of Chiriko.

"Duncan, what are you doing here?" 

"The study session is over and I thought I'd drop by," he said, never taking his eyes from Miaka's. The miko squealed and clambered off Taka, accidentally elbowing him in the throat. She threw herself at Chiriko, surprised to find them both on the floor a second later. Nuriko hadn't fallen. 

"Um…hi?" he wheezed. 

"I'm so glad to see you Chirikoooo!" she squealed, ignoring the fact that half of them was outside and it was cold. His eyes widened. 

"Miaka? Is that you?"  
            "Haiiiii!" She wrapped her arms around his neck again, squeezing as hard as she could. Hands wrapped around her and easily lifted her from her target.

"Nurikooo! Let go! I want to say hiii!" she said, struggling. 

"Miaka…_cherie…_he's unconscious," Nuriko said. She could hear the sweatdrop in his voice. She looked down, noticed the seishi's swirling eyes and sweatdropped herself. Oops. Maybe she'd hugged him a bit too hard. 

A few minutes later, they were all inside and conscious. Chiriko and Taka were sitting on the bed nearest the door and she sat next to Nuriko on the other bed.  Even…unfortunately, Hikari. He sat on his new favorite's lap and stared at Chiriko, sucking his pacifier gently. Chiriko smiled and sweatdropped, rubbing the back of his head.

"I didn't expect to see you here Miaka-chan. I didn't know you knew Nick." 

"We're old friends," Nuriko said with a wink. Hikari began to struggle in Nuriko's lap.

"Shita ni!" he said around his pacifier. "Shita ni Oji!"  Miaka laughed.

"He says he wants down, uncle," she said.  Nuriko stared at her.

"Uncle? He thinks I'm an uncle?" he asked, eyes wide.

"Hai," Miaka said with a nod. Nuriko's eyes seemed to glow. He let the boy down. Hikari smiled up his thanks, glanced at Miaka, then toddled over to Chiriko. The little boy stared up at the older boy with big, curious eyes. 

"Konbanwa Hikari-kun," Chiriko said, a fond smile lifting his face. "Namae Duncan." 

"Iie!" Hikari said, stomping his foot. 

"Hai," Chiriko said with a patient nod. "Dunhill Duncan." 

"Iie! Anata wa Kincho-oji!" the little boy insisted. Miaka stared at her child, then looked at Taka. His eyes were just as wide. Chiriko laughed a little.

"Uncle Stretch?"

"Hai! Kincho-oji," Hikari said, pointing at Chiriko. "Yanagi-oji," he said, pointing at Nuriko. 

"Well Nick, you've been dubbed Uncle Willow," Chiriko said. Nuriko laughed.

"Merci! I think. How would you say it in Japanese?" he asked. Miaka tried to say it but the words wouldn't come out. Surprise had tightened her throat. How had Hikari known what their symbols were? 

"Arigatou," Taka said. 

"Aligatoe Hikari," Nick said. Hikari giggled, ran to Nuriko and glomped his leg.  Miaka watched Chiriko's smile and wondered how much he remembered. 

"Chiriko…" 

"Hmm?" the twenty-year-old asked looking at her.

"Do you remember who you were in a past life?"  His eyebrows rose and a skeptical look crossed over his face.

"I don't believe in reincarnation. When we die. We die. We only live once." 

"Aww, but that's not fun," Nuriko said. "You are such a cynic _mon__ cher." _

"Well pardon me if I don't choose to believe in UFOs or the great cosmic wheel of fate," he said with a little laugh. Miaka tried to stop the sadness that clenched her throat and remembered what Nuriko had said. Still, knowing that it would be all right in the end didn't make the present much easier. 

"Miaka-chan? What's wrong?" Chiriko asked. She shook her head and tried to smile.

"Nothing. I'm just a little tired."  
"Well…maybe I should leave then…"

"Iie! Iie, not right now," she said, reaching out for him. "It's been so long since I've seen you."

"You've never seen me," he said with a fond smile. She nodded, not able to agree with him. There was a small silence. 

"I have an idea," Taka said. Miaka looked up at him hopefully. Taka always found some way to make everything right.

"You want to play a game Chiriko?"

"Sure."  
            "Okay. I'll say a word and you tell me the first thing that pops in your mind."

"Okay sure," Chiriko said with a little shrug and an uncertain smile.

"Suzaku," Taka said.

"The phoenix god of Chinese myth who ruled the southern cardinal point and was the god of fire and love. It's also known as Ho-Oh which means man/woman and is supposedly the symbol of predestined, unmistakable love," Chiriko said. Nuriko laghed.

"He asked for a word _mon_ cher! _ Not a lecture."_

"Sorry, " the boy said with a blush. Miaka giggled. Some things hadn't changed at all.

"Let's try something simpler," Taka said. "Hotohori."

"Emperor." 

"Tasuki." 

"Fire."

"Nuriko." 

"Gay," Chiriko said and was immediately flattened with a pillow. Flattened quite literally in fact. Miaka laughed with everyone else. She'd never known Chiriko to be so bold! 

"Okay, okay," Taka said with a laugh. "Chichiri."

"A monk who practiced three years at Taikyoku, wears a mask and has a strange speech impediment."  Miaka stared at him, excited. Did he remember?

"Chiriko…" Taka said, sounding just as excited. "Do you know why we call you that?"

"Er…I suppose because I'm young. I did some research and discovered that Chiriko was the name of one of the constellations in the Southern hemisphere. I found it cross-referenced with a book called 'The Universe of the Four Gods'. It's a mythology book originally Chinese but translated into Japanese in the 1920's by one Okuda Einosuke."

"Are you going to get to the point sometime before next week?" Nuriko asked dryly.

"Oh. Well, the book was about the struggle between the priestess of the southern empire and the eastern empire. The priestesses each had seven celestial warriors named after the constellations. I find it interesting that-"

            "Duncan!" Nuriko snapped.

            "Oh…right…umm… Chiriko was one of the constellation warriors. He was a boy, about thirteen…fourteen…and kind of weak."

            "He was not weak!" Miaka said indignantly.  Chiriko shrugged. 

            "It was just a story…and an unbelievable one at that. Girls from another world? Summoning beast deities? Please," he said, rolling his eyes.

            "You never know Duncan. Anything can happen," Nuriko said. Miaka looked back over to him. He was cradling Hikari who'd surprisingly fallen back asleep.  She bowed her head. So Chiriko didn't remember…and maybe might not ever remember. But as she looked at her son, fast asleep in her best friend's arm, she remembered his words. Even if Chiriko never remembered… Everything would be okay. 


	22. Brothers

**To Meet Again:**

**Chapter 23:**

**Brothers**

**~~~**

**Knote: This chapter doesn't have Jason either. But don't worry, he shows up in the next one…with a bunch of old friends. ^_^**

**~~~**

Calvin pulled a cigarette from his shirt pocket with trembling hands, shoved it between his lips and managed to light it, miraculously not burning his fingers in the process. Once the calming nicotine was in his system and he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Duncan was not going to be happy. 

            He'd just dropped his roommate off at some little motel to hang out with his gay friend, then decided to go bar hopping. Of course it could have been worse if he'd actually went. Calvin took a long drag off the cigarette and stared at the car mired in the ditch. Damned deer had popped up out of nowhere. Now he almost wished he had hit the thing. 

            The only problem now was what he was going to do. This was a fairly deserted stretch of road and there wasn't a gas station for miles. His legs gave out if he walked too far. He flicked the dead cigarette into the snow, well away from the car and rummaged in his pocket for a some hard candy. He found a disgusting strawberry one that tasted like cardboard and popped it in his mouth. His blood sugar was low and he needed _something. _Calvin pulled out another cigarette, self-loathing washing over him. He was so pathetic. He couldn't even speak a sentence without stuttering, he had weak ankles, arthritic knees a bad back and a mild form of diabetes. Some days he felt like a twenty-year-old man living in fifty-year-old man's body. To top everything off, his mother was a drug addict, still probably walking the streets in Chicago. He didn't even know who his father was and his older brother was a walking incarnation of someone running long nails down a blackboard.  He must have done something truly horrendous in a past life to deserve this one. 

            Suddenly lights lit the snow around him. Calvin looked down the road, hoping that whoever was in the vehicle wasn't just going to plow on by. Fortunately, the vehicle was dramatically slowing. It was then Calvin noticed the strange noises the engine made and the smoke that poured from the hood. Oh. Wonderful. 

            The vehicle, which turned out to be a stretch limo, pulled onto the shoulder. A few moments later the driver got out. He was a short, knobbly old man. He opened the hood and whipped off his cap to wave the smoke away revealing a round balding head fringed with blood red hair. The driver looked in the engine, shook his head and turned to Calvin.

            "Young man…could you?"  
            "I…if I c…could do anyt…thing I wouldn't b…be out h…ere freezing my a…ass off?" he snapped. Before the knobbly man could say anything, the passenger side door opened and two figures came out. Calvin's eyes narrowed as they came into the light. The girl was unfamiliar but there was something about the man. He wasn't much older then Duncan, with short black hair and almost turquoise blue eyes. Calvin was sure he'd seen him before. Then he noticed the man's arm in a sling and relaxed a bit. Probably he'd seen him around the hospital. But there was something else. Something that went beyond seeing. He _knew _him. The man looked at him and it was obvious that he felt the same thing.

            "D…do I kn…know you?" Calvin asked. The man looked at him as if he wasn't quite sure how to answer the question. Calvin sighed. What a freaking irritating day. "What? English no c…comprende?"  

_­_­_­­            "Oh sorry. Umm…no I don't know you as such. My name is Stephan Leonard," he said, extending a hand. Calvin stared at him. He was not about to shake hands with someone. That was for the upper middle white trash who thought the fact they could wrap their sweaty palm around another's and wave it up and down a few times made them important. Stephan cleared his throat, pulled back his hand and put both of them on the girl's shoulder. She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen and acted with all the perkiness of a really dumb blonde even though her hair was dark brown._

            "This is my sister Yvonne." 

            "Hi!" the girl chirped. Calvin rolled his eyes. Oh goody. Introduction time. 

            "I…I'm C…Calvin-" he started, but another, very familiar voice cut him off.

            "Stephan! Did you find out how long we're stuck here?" 

            "No. Not yet," Stephan called back. "We're talking with someone."  
            "Oh for the love of-" There was a muttered curse and the sound of the door opening and Calvin watched in disbelief as his big brother stepped into the light. Oh wonderful. The gods were _really _smiling down on them today. 

            "I don't see what the problem is," Stephan said defensively. 

            "The problem is we have to get to the airport in twenty minutes. You can't go chatting up every bum from here to-" his brother's voice trailed off as he looked at him. Gold eyes widened and a strange expression that seemed close to relief washed the older man's face. This was soon replaced by anger. 

            "Julio be reasonable," Stephan was saying. Calvin looked at Stephan, then his older brother and started to laugh.

            "Juilo? _Julio? That's w…what you're c…calling yourself now?"  
            "Shut up you little ass!" 'Julio' stepped forward and grabbed his arm, pressing hard enough to make a bruise. "And just where the hell have you been for the past five years? I've been worried sick about you."_

            "Bull," Calvin snarled, yanking his arm away. "Y…you j…just d…didn't w…want t…to g…get in t…t…trouble w…with the s…social w…workers." Calvin winced inwardly. Anger only made the stutter worse. God he hated his life.  
            "You haven't been doing your speech lessons have you?" 

            "S…stop a…acting l…like you c…care, _Agustus._"          

            "Agustus?" Stephan asked. Calvin smirked and looked at them. They didn't _know? Oh this was going to be fun._

            "A…Agustus Nero Manelli…" Calvin said, watching the anger cross his older brother's face. 

            "I wouldn't act so high and mighty about it _Peter Pan._"

            "I…it's P…Pan Ap…p…pollo you jerk!" Which wasn't really much better then the first one. Calvin glared at his brother. His brother glared back at him. Agustus pretended to care, but that didn't excuse him from coming home late every single night and never being in the damned house. He hadn't even cared when Calvin nearly got beat to death by a local gang. Agustus was just a cold heartless bastard and they both knew it. 

            "Excuse me but…isn't your agent's plane in about now?" Yvonne asked. 

            "Yeah. We'd better go…er…Julio," Stephan said.

            "Agustus," Calvin said, just to annoy his brother further. Agustus looked like he wanted to smack him. Instead he whirled on the other boy.

            "Look Stephan. If you want to start walking, go right on ahead. The limo is broken down in case you haven't noticed."

            "Tow truck won't be for another hour!" the driver called. Agustus threw up his hands.

            "Wonderful. This has just been a _perfect _day. First we had to pay that outrageous hospital bill, then that tacky restaurant-"

            "Calvin…if I can get your car out of the mud, will you take us?" Stephan asked. Calvin was about to say no but then Agustus shot a look at him. Calvin sighed and knew there was no way to say no. Agustus was family and even if you hated your family you always helped them. Still…maybe there was a way he could get out of it.

            "It's n…not my car. It's a f…friend's. I'd h…have to a…ask him."

            "I have a phone!" Yvonne said, digging in her purse for a moment. Then she flourished a phone. It was pink. Of course. It _had _to be pink. With the day going like it was it couldn't be any other color. She handed him the phone and he punched in the numbers, trying not to look at the chubby white animated cat that everyone was so fond of. The phone rang and rang again. Calvin watched impassively as Stephan stepped behind the Bug. Yeah. Like a guy with an arm in a sling could get it out of the ditch. 

            "Hello?" Duncan finally said.

            "H…hey… It's m…me."

            "Oh, hi Calvin. Something up?"

            "Is it a…alright if I take some f…friends to the airport?"

            "Um, yeah sure. I don't have a problem with it. Just pick me up when you get baaaah! No! Ack! Keep that away from me Nick! Ahaaa!" There was the sounds of scuffling and massive giggles and Calvin decided he really did not want to know. Stephen out his hand, palm out at shoulder level and his body tensed. The car rattled. Calvin watched with widening eyes as the car slowly lifted from the ditch, moved sideways a few inches then landed gently on the road. He nearly dropped the phone.

            "Calvin?" Duncan was saying. "You still there? Calvin?"  Calvin couldn't even work his mouth to answer him. He couldn't even move when his brother snatched the phone from his sliding grasp.

            "Everything's f…fine…" Agustus said, in a voice so like Calvin's own it was uncanny. "Uh-huh. …  R…right. …  N…no problem. …Bye." Agustus ended the call and gave the phone back to the girl.

            "He wants you to be careful and not drive his car in the ditch again," Agustus said, a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth. "Apparently someone has a little bit of night blindness." 

            "Well, your car is out," Stephan said, turning to them. His face looked a little drawn.

            "Yay! I knew you could do it big brother!" Yvonne said, bouncing over and hugging his arm. Calvin's brain abruptly caught up with the situation and he scrambled back a few steps. 

            "Wh…wh…wh…wh…" Oh god, he couldn't even speak! What the hell was that guy?! Some kind of X-man?! Agustus put a hand on his shoulder.

            "It's nothing to be scared of. He's…I suppose you'd call him…very talented."

            "And I'm not the only one," Stephan said, looking directly at him. Calvin took another step back. This was all so strange. Strange…and a little familiar too. But a part of him was terrified of knowing too much. A part of him knew that a dark secret would be revealed if he ever truly found out who Stephan was. A secret that would make his usual nightmares seem like daydreams. 

            "Come on, give me the keys and let's go. Mrs. Yui does not like to be kept waiting," Agustus said. Calvin blindly handed his older brother the keys and let himself be herded to the car. Whatever was going to happen…he had the feeling that he wouldn't be able to stop it. 

            The car ride was thankfully peaceful. It had started out fairly roughly though as Stephan had kept asking things like…"So your name is really Agustus?" and "Are you even Spanish?" This continued until the artist formally known as Julio threatened to break Stephan's other arm. A few miles down the road Calvin was able to find his voice again. 

             "H…how did you p…pick those two up?" he asked, jerking his thumb to the backseat.

            "Mother used to babysit him," Yvonne said. Calvin raised his eyebrows.

            "Y…you mean Miss Susan got m…married?"

"_Mrs. Susuan was always married. At least as long as we've known her. Remember the obsessed plant guy?" _

            "The one th…that would k…kill you if you s…stepped on his lawn?"

            "That sounds like Dad," Stephan said. "You can't even _breathe on the plants wrong."  Yvonne giggled. A silence fell over the car. Calvin could suddenly feel Agustus looking at him from the corner of his eye. He was going to ask why he ran. Calvin _knew _he was. To prevent this, Calvin flicked on the radio._

            "This just in. Champion figure skater Lao Wei Jun disappeared from his hotel room just a few hours ago. The manager of the team has no comment. Police Chief Ian Tryger says that he suspects no foul play but will continue the investigation," the newsman said. 

            Agustus sighed and returned his attention to the road. Calvin leaned back in his seat, folded his arms and watched the night speed past. 


	23. The Pack

To Meet Again

**Part 23:**

**The Pack**

**~~~**

**Knote****: Okay. Some people were confused the last chapter. Little refresher here. **

**Calvin: ****Duncan****'s gothic roomie who works as a janitor at the hospital.**

**Julio: A 'Latin American' singer who was on TV in the chapter 'Recuperation' and cheated on Nick with Kanashii. **

**Stephan and Yvonne: Julio's charges. (See 'Recuperation') Also. In case you missed it, Yvonne was the girl in the hospital that Patricia was talking to. (See 'Under Where?')**

**Got it? Good. ^_~ Questions? Voice 'em!**

**~~~**

            Things were, as always, far from perfect. Jason turned the mug in front of him so the amber liquid sloshed around. It was beer. He hated beer. Hated the smell and the taste. Unfortunately, it was the only thing he could afford. He glanced around the bar. It was filled with people. Talking, laughing happy people that were probably not accustomed to getting their hearts crushed. An amateur band sang foreign songs on a sagging stage.  A woman glanced his way and smiled. He glared at her and hid deeper in the shadows of the corner table.           

            If it wasn't for Tom, he wouldn't have come to this place. He'd been driving and as they got up to the bar, the cat had started to act very strange, like he needed to use the litter box in a hurry. Jason had quickly pulled into the parking lot and opened the door just as some people were coming out of the bar. Tom had dashed like a mad thing and slipped into the bar just as the door was closing. Jason had been half tempted to leave the dumb feline there. 

            Now here he was, sitting at the table and, like a loser, trying to get himself drunk. Tom, he supposed, would show up when Jason was least inclined to wring his neck. Jason took a sip from the mug, wincing at the taste. He wished he had something better to get drunk on. Perhaps if he did it all at once, it wouldn't taste so bad. Closing his eyes he tilted his head back and finished the last of it. Two-dollar warmth spread through his insides and when he titled his head forward again, he had to blink as the room swirled around him. She would be so mad at him. She would stand there giving him a glare that would cower an army.  But he didn't care. Not anymore. He just didn't want to remember. This in mind, he ordered another beer. Why not? Life sucked anyway.

            As he waited for his beer, the door creaked open. Jason's head swung toward it automatically, although he didn't really care. A man stood there, looking around. He had a slight build and a face of indeterminable age. His brown hair was pulled back tightly and tied in a little rat-tail. When the man's green eyes settled on him, Jason felt a shock of recognition. As the man came over to him, Jason saw the design of interlocking circles on the man's jacket and it clicked into place. It was that figure skater. Hou Jun Lao or whatever. Jason glared at the man as he sat down. He may be the President of the United States, but that didn't mean that Jason would want his company.

            "Hello," Jun said in the manner of someone who was just learning English. Oh wonderful. Now he was starting to make conversation. Hopefully, if Jason ignored him, he'd go away. Instead he turned his attention to the stage. A new group of people was getting on. Before they could start, a man wearing a shirt with a big red X on it took the mike.

            "You enjoying Anime Karaoke folks?" he asked. The people in the bar cheered. So did, for some odd reason, Jun. 

            "Good to hear it. This next group is called Shinai and will be singing 'Born to Burn' from the soundtrack of Ruroni Shishio." From somewhere in the crowd a strangled voice said something that sounded like:

            "Oro?" 

            The band began to play. They were very loud and very bad. He sighed. Yet another wonderful point to add to his evening. 

            "Hello," Jun said a little louder. Jason stared steadily at the band.

            "Hello. Pardon me. Hello please?" Jun was practically shouting by now. Jason gritted his teeth. _I'm not going to give in. _He thought. _He'll go away if I don't give in. _The beer arrived and he took a long swallow.

            "Woah, slow down honey, it's not goin' anywhere," the waitress said. "You want anything for your friend here?" 

            Jason opened his mouth to say no but Jun interrupted him.

            "What he has. Thank you." 

            "Hold-" Jason started.

            "Okay. Be right back," the waitress said with a wink. 

            "Wait a minute. I never said…" he tried. But the waitress had all ready walked away. Jason glared at the figure skater. Just what gave him the nerve to do that? The skater's pleasant smile disarmed him somewhat.

            "Then you are not deaf?"

            "No I'm not." He was going to finish with 'just not in the mood for company' but again he was interrupted.

            "Very good. Very good," Jun said nodding. "I had grandfather who was deaf. If you shout in grandfather's ear it just echoes back to you." Jun giggled. Not many men could giggle and not sound…well…fruity. Surprisingly, Jun pulled it off. 

            "You are American yes?" 

            "Yes." __

"Very good. Very good." A few more nods. Jason glared at him hoping he would take the hint. Usually people gave up by now. Either Jun was immune or Jason was glaring in a foreign language. Maybe if he was blunt.

            "Listen I want to be alone. So will you just-"

            "Alone? It is not good being alone. You think it is…but then one day…you get lonely."  Jun sighed heavily. "Even in a busy place, you can be alone. This place is very very busy."

            Jason gave up. There was no use talking to someone who wouldn't listen. At least there was one good point; the band had stopped playing. There were a few, rather forced claps. The band thanked the room, seeming completely oblivious to the fact that everyone had hated them. The announcer stepped up again. 

            "Well that was…um…interesting. Okay. Well, you know that over the past, Seventh Heaven has brought you some of the best amateur bands this side of the US." 

            "And some of the worst too!" cried someone from the other side of the room. The announcer sweatdropped and laughed nervously.

            "Anyway, folks. Tonight, the number one anime bar in the state of Colorado, is proud to bring you, all the way from the east coast, The Pack ladies and gentleman!" 

The tumultuous cheering that rocked the room made Jason rolled his eyes. People were too happy. Didn't they know they were supposed to be miserable? The world sucked. No one had any reason to be happy. Jason looked back down at his empty cup. He was really going to kill that cat. 

            "Hello Seventh Heaven!" said a loud, faintly obnoxious voice that he could have sworn he'd heard before.  "Did ya miss us?"

            "Yes!" the crowd screamed.

            "No. Go away," Jason muttered.

            "Well that's good, because we're about to rock your world!" said an unfamiliar female voice that was thickly Brooklyn with a touch of Jewish.

            "Ha! You couldn't rock anyone's world. Someone's boat maybe," the man said.   
            "Ooooh," the crowd said. 

            "I'd rock yours but all you got is a dhingy," she shot back. The crowd laughed.

            "Whatever. Anyway. This new song you're gonna like."  
            "For all you who want to know, the English title is, Let A Glittering Star Bloom in the Heart. And in Japanese it's-"  
            "Heart ni Kiraboshi…Sagasare!" the man howled into the microphone. Jason sighed. Oh great, an upbeat song with a stupid name. If this went on much longer, he was leaving, Tom or no Tom. Another beer was placed in front of him. Jun tapped him lightly on the wrist. Jason gave him a dirty look from the corner of his eye. Again, the look seemed to pass right over Jun's shoulder and hit the wall behind him. 

            "This is no good," he said, holding up the beer. "Can I have some tea?"  
            "Sure, you can have some _tea at a __bar. Go right ahead and ask."_

            "Okay. Thank you. Tea please!" he called, waving his hand. 

            "Coming right up honey!" said the waitresses' distant voice. Jason didn't believe it until the steaming cup was placed in front of the Chinese man. 

            "Many thank yous," Jun said. 

            "No problem. More for you honey?" the waitress asked. Jason nodded automatically. Jun smiled at him, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a familiar way. Why should _he _be familiar? He pushed the thoughts from his mind and looked at the table. The music thrummed around him and surprisingly, he found himself getting into it. The song was loud and obnoxious but the singer put all his heart in it.

            "It fits him very well," Jun said. Jason agreed with him but didn't comment. Instead his nursed his drink and listened to the band that wasn't quite that bad. The upbeat song ended, greeted with another round of earthshattering applause. Then the woman began crooning some sort of love song. Jason stared into his empty mug and blinked a few times. Love songs. Love songs were for losers. 

            "Well hello there," Jun said in a surprised voice. Despite himself, Jason looked over and his eyes narrowed. There, sitting in the figure skaters lap, was a smoky gray cat with yellow eyes. Tom- As if sensing his master's murderous intent, the cat meowed, hopped off Jun's lap and began to run. Jason scrambled to his feet and started after him, tripping a over the chair a little in the process.

            Tom playfully kept himself just out of reach as Jason tried to navigate the sea of tables and people that littlered the bar. Stupid bar. Why did it have to have so many tables anyway? Suddenly he realized he was a few feet from the stage. He stared at the lip of the stage, then flicked his gaze to the table in front of it. Fuzzy warnings began to relay from his brain that if he continued moving, he was going to crash right into the table. Somehow, the right connections were made to the correct body parts and he started to stumble to a halt. He would have made it to had not something warm and furry placed itself right before his foot. He tripped, arms pinwheeling for a frantic balance that he had no hope of achieving. The next thing he knew, he was kneeling on the ground with his knees yelling at him. His head, however, had been cushioned by something soft.  No sooner had he realized it was a lap belonging to an unfamilair woman then she screamed, slapped him and sent his head to join his other body parts on the floor. Ow. 

            Somehow, despite the haze that clouded his brain, Jason was able to accomplish upward mobility. Swaying slightly, he opened his mouth and tried to formulate some sort of apology to the frightened looking Japanese woman he'd just assaulted. 

            "YA ($)%ING PERVERT!" a voice shouted. Jason blinked. That wasn't his voice…was it? Oog. He couldn't tell up from down any more. A second or so later, he realized a familiar redhead was grabbing onto his collar and yelling in his face.

            "Ya think ya can go around attackin' women like that?! I'm gonna rip yer ($)%ing head of ya ($)%ing asshole!" 

            "Was and ashident Tasssuki," Jason explained calmly. 

            "Like hell it was!" The bandit continued yelling his head off about something or another. Jason stared at him and wondered what medical treatment the redhead had gone through to give him four eyes. 

            "It was an accident Josh. I just reacted without thinking," a woman said.

            "Ya don't gotta defend this creep Kuran!" 

            "Ah calm down, anyone can tell he's wasted… Give th' man a break," said another voice that sounded like Brookylin in the fall. Jason snrked to himself. What a stupid thought. He didn't even know why he'd thunk it.  

            "It's all right Joshua, no one was hurt," said another man with a voice you could sing too. Snrk. Stupid thought number two! Ooooh if Shouka could see him now she'd be pissed. She never liked it when he got drunk. Suddenly he realized the error. Waiiit just a minute.

            "Not Josh…" he said, poking the redhead in the forehead. "Tasssssuki. Tasssuki, Tassuki, Tassuki." Poke. Poke. Poke. 

            "The guys a friggin' lunatic," the fanged one muttered. Snrk. All haill the fanged one. Suddenly he realized he was sitting. He patted what was underneath him. Yep. A chair. The room spun as he turned his head and looked at the sweatdropping figure skater that was sitting next to him. 

            "Are you all right?" the man asked. 

            "No da," Jason explained. Then closed his eyes and went to sleep. 


	24. Joshua

To Meet Again

**Part 25**

**Joshua **

**~~~  
Knote: Arrrgh! I despise FF.net! I know. Chapter order is all messed up and stuff. The way FF.net is set up, it's gonna be a pain to fix it. Baka baka baka! *smack smack smack*  On a side note, sorry about the long delays. ^^; Will reallly try to get on the ball with this. **

**Oh yeah! Alissa is another OC. ^^: **

**~~~**

            The last few patrons straggled out the door, leaving only two people sitting at a table in the corner. As it was just the drunk guy who'd assaulted Kuran and a strange fox looking dude that smiled a lot, Joshua didn't even bother to hide his yawn. It had been one hell of a night. 

"Man, I'm beat," Kevin said, sitting down on the edge of the stage and running a hand through his tousled blue hair. Joshua pulled back his sleeve and checked his watch. It was around three. He whistled. It had been a longer gig then usual, but the people had just not let them leave. 

"I hear you," Antonio said. Kevin and Antonio were brothers, but it was hard to tell. Apart from both having dark hair, they looked nothing alike. They didn't act alike either. Where Kevin was loud and was more then willing to laugh at his own jokes, Antonio appreciated the quieter nature of things. Joshua just didn't get him. But…weird or not. Family was family. 

"You gonna help pack up or what?" Alissa asked.            

"Or what," Joshua said, just to antagonize her. The woman rolled her eyes and reached out lazily to swat him. He let himself be hit, then dutifully began to help Antonio disassemble the drums. 

"Where's Kuran?" Joshua asked.

"Over there…asleep," Antonio said, gesturing with his head. Joshua looked and saw her sitting at a table near the stage, head pillowed in her arms. He glanced back at Antonio and saw a fond smile play over his serene face. Joshua shook his head. Lovesick idiot. He concentrated back on his task, trying to ignore the sappy warmth that was trying to invade his heart.

"Wow! You guys were great tonight!" said a loud, bouncing, had fifty cups of coffee all ready voice. Joshua straightened and watched the manager of the little bar come over to them.  He was Kuran's brother-in-law, Keisuke Yuuki. So since Kuran was married to Antonio and Antonio was his cousin that would make Keisuke his…cousin-in-law…or something. Whatever he was, Keisuke was family. 

"You guys should play here every night," the blond said, folding his arms across his X shirt and beaming.           

"Dude, we're all ready here every weekend," Kevin said. "And almost every day during the holidays… You don't pay enough to have us here every day."

            "I know. One day though this place is going to be really big…" Keisuke trailed off and looked past Joshua, lost in his own little daydream. After a little he snapped back and beamed.

            "So. You guys want any coffee before you leave?"

            "Do birds fly?" Alissa said, tucking a strand of short brown hair behind her ear. "I am not riding home with him when he's half asleep," she said, jerking her thumb at Joshua. 

            "He's bad enough awake," Antonio put in.

            "Ah shaddup," Joshua said, out of force of habit. He glanced at the corner table again. They were still sitting there. The one who was still conscious seemed to be waiting for something. Maybe he needed help carrying his friend to the car. Joshua jumped from the stage and made his way over to them. The man smiled as he came closer.

            "You play very well. Your Japanese is good. Almost better then your English," the man said with a little laugh. Joshua grinned.

            "Yeah. That's cuz Kuran translates the lyrics. You Japanese then?"

            "Chinese. I was taught both languages at a very young age. English though I have had to learn on my own. I am afraid I am not quite as good at it."

            "Sounds fine to me."

            "Many thank yous." 

"Anyway, your friend doesn't look like he's gonna be up anytime soon. Want me to help bring him to the car?"

"I…I have no car," the Asian guy said sweatdropping. "I got here by taxi cab. I do not even know him, except that he was kind and bought me a drink." 

            "Okay. So I'll call you a cab."

            "I…have no American money." 

            "Well then how did ya pay for the ride over here?" Joshua asked. A few more sweatdrops made a watery halo around the Chinese guy's head.

            "I…told the cab to stop then got out and ran. The taxi driver was very eager for his money though so he chased after me…and…" the guy trailed off again.

            "And what?" 

            "I hit him."

            Joshua laughed. He didn't know why it should be so funny. It was probably just sleep depravation messing with his brain.  Also, for some reason, he couldn't picture this man having transportation problems. Joshua pulled a chair up to the table turned it around and straddled it, leaning his arms on the back.

            "I'm sure I can help ya out. What's your name?"

            "Lao Wei Jun."  

            "I'm Joshua. Joshua Lupin Blaze. But my friends call me Josh. Where were you headed Lao?" 

            "I am not certain. Anywhere."  Lao's gaze was fixed on the table. Joshua leaned the chair forward a bit. This guy was hiding something. Lao looked up at him, his pale cheeks tinged pink and he quickly glanced back at the table. Joshua narrowed his eyes. Definitely hiding something.

            "Didn't kill anyone did ya?" he asked. Lao's head snapped up.

            "No! I would never kill! I…I am just…" He looked at Joshua again, searching his eyes as if trying to decide whether to trust him or not. 

            "As long as ya didn't hurt anyone, I'll do my best to help ya, buddy." 

            "Yes. You would," Lao said with a slight nod. Joshua was about to ask what he meant by that, but Lao went on.  

            "I am…a figure skater. Do you watch the Olympics?"

            "Not the figure skatin'. I only watch the things that use real skill," Joshua said. Lao gave him a deadpan look.

            "You try it sometime."

            "Yeah. When I wanna try out for the chick Olympics. Anyway, so you're a figure skater…and…?"

            "You have to understand, China is not like here. China is not…free. In China, little girls cannot live, even if they harmed no one by being there," Lao said, his face darkening. Joshua was about to say, 'who needs girls anyway?' Something in Lao's expression stopped him. 

            "I promised…I promised someone that I would come here. I promised that I would make myself American. Make myself free. But they did not want me to be free. So I had to run. I cannot let them take me. If they take me back to China, I will never get another chance," Lao looked at him, green eyes imploring. "I have to stay…" _Please. _His eyes seemed to be saying. _Please help me do this. _Joshua's heart tugged. Now it was his turn to look down at the table. Damn. This was a stranger for crying out loud! He couldn't feel so sappy around a stranger! It was bad enough that he couldn't even watch Casablanca without turning off the lights so no one could see his face. He could feel the stranger watching him. Hoping. Joshua grinned, not quite looking into his eyes.

            "That's no problem. We'll figure out somethin'." Then he grinned wider and slapped Lao on the back. "You're gonna be so free you ain't gonna know what to do with yourself. Because this is America!" he said a bit louder then he'd intended.

            "Brilliant powers of observation," Alissa called from the stage. Joshua blushed and flicked her off. She returned the favor without skipping a beat. 

            "Stop flirting you two," Kevin said.

            "Shaddup!" Joshua said at the same time Alissa did. 

            "You two do not like each other then?" Lao asked. Joshua shrugged and absently picked at the table.

            "Nah. We're okay. She acts like my sister sometimes, but we're okay."

            "So you are related?" 

            "She's the only one who isn't. She just kinda hangs around, like a leech!" Joshua said, making sure that she heard this last part. 

            "Excuse me?" Alissa said, folding her hands on her hips. Joshua grinned. Here it came. "Ex_cuse me? I am the one that works forty hours a week. I'm the one that-"_

            "Paid seventy-five percent of our house," Kevin cut in, speaking in a high-pitched voice. "I am th' one that cleans. I am th' one that cooks. I am th' one that sleeps in the ashes in the fireplace waitin' for my prince ta come. I am th' one-" He was interrupted when Alissa began attacking him with the microphone stand. Joshua laughed. 

            "Touchy Kev!" he said.

            "That's touché," Antonio said.

            "Yeah? Well who died and made you Chiriko?" Joshua said. Antonio stared at him, as did the others. Joshua felt his cheeks grow hotter. How the hell had _that slipped out? What the hell __was that anyway? It sounded like a name from some weird anime. _

            "What did you say?" Lao asked. There was a strange tone to his voice.

            "Nothin', nothin'," Joshua said, flapping his hand and sweatdropping. "Lack of sleep does weird things to my brain."

            "What doesn't?" Alissa said and suddenly everything was back to normal. After a little while, Keisuke came with the coffee. Then, as usual, wussed out of locking up and gave Antonio the key.

            "I'm sure you guys will be here for a while," he said before slipping out the door. The rest of The Pack gathered around the small table where Lao and the drunk guy sat, and after a brief introduction, drank their coffee in silence. All except for Kuran who was now asleep in Antonio's lap. 

            "Man, you guys make me sick," Joshua said, giving them a half-hearted glare. 

            "Don't worry Josh, you'll find someone someday," Antonio said as he stroked his wife's dark hair. Joshua nearly spit out his drink.

            "What the hell makes you think I want anyone?! I'm fine bein' single! Me and Kev are gonna be single till we die!"

            "Speak for yourself," Kevin said. "I plan ta start a family too ya know. Just gotta find the right girl."  Joshua glared at him. Traitor.

            "I can see Josh as an eternal bachelor very easily," Alissa said.

            "Yeah? Well I can see you as an old crone!"

            "Better a crone then an eighty-year-old virgin."

            "I ain't no (&)%in' virgin…" he muttered. 

            "Is it possible to be a (&)%ing virgin?" Antonio asked.  Joshua decided to ignore that comment. 

"Your sush a smart ash Duncan," muttered the drunk guy. Joshua looked at him, having completely forgotten he was there.  Shit. What were they gonna do with him?

            "He with you Lao?" Kevin asked. 

            "No. I do not think he is with anyone," the figure skater said. 

            "Well damn. What are we gonna do?" Kevin said. Almost as one, all heads turned to Joshua. They were looking to him for an answer. They always looked to him for an answer. It had been his idea to haul their asses all the way out here from New York in the first place. Like it or not, Joshua always found himself in the leader position of his little group.  

            "We can't just leave him here," Alissa said, concern in her voice. Joshua smiled a little. As acerbic as Alissa could be, she really cared about people.

            "I guess…he can sleep it off at our place."

            "Do you think that's safe?" Antonio asked with a frown, holding Kuran closer. Joshua looked at the drunk guy critically. That was a good point. It was stupid to bring home someone they didn't even know. He could be a lunatic for all they knew.  As if sensing that he was on their minds, the man lifted his head. His light blue eyes were bloodshot. 

"Where'm I?" he said, blinking slowly. As the man's eyes came to rest on him, Joshua suddenly felt sorry for him. Somehow he knew that this was not the man's natural state. He knew that something must have gone seriously wrong in the man's life for him to drink so heavily. Shit. Some people just couldn't catch a break could they?

            "It's gonna be okay," Joshua told him, trying to sound reassuring. "You'll be fine in the morning. Go back to sleep okay?"  The man nodded and rested his head back on the table.

            "I think he will be very safe," Lao said softly.

            "Ah, it'll be fine," Kevin said. "He can ride behind Josh and Alissa can ride behind me."

            "Bless you," Alissa said. Joshua was about to say something sarcastic, but suddenly realized they had another problem. 

            "Ehhh…that's not gonna work," he said, sweatdropping. "Lao's comin' too."

            Antonio groaned and Alissa threw up her hands.

"Why don't you just invite the whole bar?" she said. "Why don't you just pick up every bum in the street, and say 'Hey! Come on down! Party at our place!' No offense Lao…"

"I understand," Lao said with a smile.    

"Ah comon'. He's come to America to be free and we gotta help him,"  Joshua said, spreading his hands out in a peace gesture. He could speak all he wanted, but when it really came down to it, Alissa had the final say. It was mostly her house after all. She stared at him. Then her eyebrows drew together and a smirk lifted the corner of her mouth. Joshua tightened his grip on the coffee cup. Shit. She was gonna say no just to spite him.  She was a good person, but ever since…the accident…she'd taken to getting revenge in anyway she could. He couldn't say that he entirely blamed her…but this wasn't about him dammit. It was about Lao.

"Please Miss Alissa," Lao said. "It would mean so much to me. I would be forever in your debt." Alissa glanced at him, then sighed and a little smile came over her face. Joshua breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't care. The more the merrier right?" 

"Thank you. So much." 

"Don't mention it."         

"If you all are through playing philanthropist for the day," Antonio said. "It's getting late…or rather early." 

"Hey ding-dong, you forget? We still gotta problem," Kevin said, pointing at the drunk guy.

"Ah we'll figure out somethin'," Joshua said, standing and absently brushing off his jeans. He glanced at the drunk man.  He was not a small man. This could be a problem.

"You get one side of him Kev, I'll get the other," Joshua said. 

"Works for me."

Together they helped the semi-conscious man stumble to his feet. When they had finally managed to get him somewhat upright, there was a clank as keys tumbled to the ground. Car keys. As Alissa didn't like motorcycles anyway, she'd have no problem giving the man a lift. Thank god for small miracles.   
  
  
 


	25. Skeptic

To Meet Again

**Part 26:  
Skeptic**

**~~~  
Knote: Gahah. Sorry 'bout all the name dropping. ^^: That's about the last of 'em though. Only three left. Minor characters though. ^_~. Josh had a long chapter didn't he. ^^: Any complaints? *crickets chirp* Didn't think so. ^_^.**

**~~~**

            "Tomorrow is another day," Vivian Leigh said as she lay, sprawled dramatically on the steps of the huge mansion. As the credits started to roll, Duncan yawned. They had messed around until Miaka had fallen asleep, then decided to watch a movie. A replay of 'Gone With the Wind' had been the only decent thing on at two in the morning. 

            "You know, that's not a bad movie," Taka said. He looked about half-awake, with Miaka snuggled on one side of him and Hikari on the other. 

            "Yes. For a movie predominately about romance, it had a strikingly accurate portrayal of the Civil War. But the rifles they were using were obviously reproductions because-" 

            "Oh hush," Nick interrupted, tapping him lightly in the arm. "You take all the fun out of it _mon__ cher. You really need to sit back and just enjoy the magic of it without picking it apart." _

            Duncan rolled his eyes but didn't comment. Magic. He hated that word. Magic was just a form of escapism. If people concentrated more on what was _real _instead of having their heads in the clouds, the world would be a much better place. 

            "You don't believe in magic… do you?" Taka asked. Duncan blinked; surprised his thoughts had shown so easily on his face. Perhaps it was just fatigue setting in.   In answer to Taka's question, Duncan shook his head.

            "It's just superstition. Myth. Folklore. Something used in olden times to keep the people from realizing how miserable they were."

            "It's strange that something that doesn't exist lasted for a long time, no?" Nick said. Duncan looked over at him. He was lying down, arms crossed behind his head and eyes closed. The fact that he had spoken was the only sign that he was awake. As if sensing he was being scrutinized, Nick opened one eye and a smile twitched at the corner of his lip.          "Did I finally make the young Duncan speechless?" 

            "Hardly. It has simply lasted a long time because it was a coping mechanism. People had to find a way to explain things they didn't understand."

            "Isn't science the same thing?" Taka asked. Duncan turned his attention back to the Japanese man.

            "No. In science you gather data and perform tests and observations in order to explain things. It's _logical._ Science can also help us better our futures…while magic is just a fairy tale."

"So one day we'll all be riding in floating cars?" Nick said. "That's such a ridiculous thought."  
"Not at all!" Duncan said, shaking his head emphatically. "_Anything_ is possible."  
"Anything?" Nick asked. The question was a simple one but in it Duncan saw his fate.

"Even magic?" Taka's words sped through the air like an arrow and shattered Duncan's argument to pieces around his feet. The twenty-year-old closed his eyes. Oof. He'd walked into that one. His mind was definitely not at normal operating capacity. 

"But…magic is so…juvenile," he tried desperately. Nick patted him on the back.

"Then call it science if you like. Someday you are going to learn _mon__ cher that magic and science are one in the same. The only difference is the name."  
            "Cupcakes," Miaka whispered. It was so random that Duncan had to laugh. He shook his head and stood, stretching his hands up to the ceiling. Oof. It had been a long night, albeit an enjoyable one. A digitalized version of "Time Warp" rang through the air. _

"I think that's you _mon__ cher," Nick said. It took a moment for Duncan to realize that Nick was talking to him, and another minute to realize what he was talking about. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and flicked it open._

"Hello?"

"I…I'm o…o…on m…my w…way D…D…D…. I'm c…coming," Calvin said. Duncan frowned. He sounded really stressed. Had something happened?  
            "Something wrong Calvin?" he asked. There was a long silence.

"N…no. S…see y…ya." There was a click. Duncan shook his head as he wiped the fingerprints of the phone. Something was definitely wrong. Something had put Calvin under a lot of pressure.

"Chiriko? Daijoubu ka?" Taka asked. Duncan blinked. Then his mind translated.

"Oh…oh yeah, just a friend having some issues," Duncan said, with a little sweatdrop. Calvin didn't like other people knowing about his problems. "Anyway, I'll probably be leaving soon." 

The sight of Miaka's sleeping face caught his eye. He smiled and knelt beside her almost without knowing it. It was so wonderful to be finally seeing her again. It was so wonderful to see her happy, even in sleep. He stroked her cheek gently and watched her smile. Miaka…

"Enjoying yourself?" Nick asked. Suddenly Duncan realized that he was touching a married woman in a loving way with her husband right beside her. Heat flooded his face. Duncan sweatdropped and shot to his feet, laughing nervously. Taka though, didn't seem to be concerned at all. In fact, he was smiling. 

"Umm…I'm really sorry about that Taka. It's late and I…"  
            "It's okay."

Duncan sat on the bed beside Nick and stared at the carpet. He didn't realize his eyes were closed until someone touched his shoulder lightly. He jerked awake, blinking rapidly. 

"I think your friend is at the door," Nick said.  Duncan half walked, half stumbled to the door. The sight of Calvin woke him up.  His friend was pale and his hands shook like he was in the middle of an earthquake. Duncan turned his head a little as someone came up behind him.

"I'd like to meet your frie-" Taka started. Suddenly Duncan found himself being jerked back into the room. Taka stepped in front of him and clenched both hands into fists.

"I don't know what you want but you had better get the _hell _out of here Miboshi!" Taka shouted. 

"Wh…wh…what th…the h…hell?!" Calvin squeaked. Duncan grabbed Taka's shoulder and turned him around.

            "What are you doing?!" Duncan snapped, without meaning to. He softened his tone a little. "That's Calvin. My friend." 

            "No. He's not your friend. He may look like it, but his eyes are different. He's really Miboshi…one of the Seiryuu seishi. In the past…he…killed you."

            Duncan was suddenly mad. Unreasonably so, a deep corner of his mind knew. But at the moment, he didn't care. 

            "Look, I am sick and tired of this reincarnation nonsense! It's bad enough when you keep spouting it around me, but when you start in on my friends, that's entirely different!" 

            "Chiriko…" Taka looked hurt. Duncan pushed past him and helped Calvin to his feet.

            "Sorry about that," he told his friend.

            "W…what t…the he…hell is h…his p…problem?" Calvin said as they got into the car.  Duncan shook his head.

            "I don't know. I honestly don't… It's been a long night," Duncan said, turning the key in the ignition. As he backed out of the parking space he realized his hands were trembling as well. He was still pretty angry. It was just…he hated when people talked about magic. It was like they couldn't deal with reality. Everything had to be 'magic' or 'fate' or a 'miracles.'  Why couldn't people just accept that life was a bunch of random incidents thrown together? Why couldn't people understand that when life was over, it was over. There was no heaven where angels played harps all day. No returning into another body. Dead people staid dead. It was a fact of life. 

            Duncan took a side long glance at his friend and saw Calvin trying to light a cigarette. His hand was shaking so badly that the only thing that would end up burning was himself. Duncan gently took the lighter away. Calvin shot him a glare but didn't protest. 

            "What's wrong Calvin?" he asked. For a long moment, his room mate said nothing, then he ran a hand through his all ready tousled hair. 

            "I…it's just b…been a hell of a n…night.  F…first my brother, then that t…telepath or whatever the h…hell he was…. Th…then… that g…girl."  
            "What girl?" 

            "H…her name was Y…Yui s…something."  
            "Well if you think she's pretty you should ask her out," Duncan said, smiling a little. It would be nice to see his friend socializing with the outside world. Calvin's answer was completely unexpected.

            "No!" he shouted. 

            "Oh comon'. You're a nice guy. Besides, there's no harm in asking."  
            "That's n…not what I'm s…saying!  T…there was s…something a…about her. When s…she looked at m…me…" he trailed off and shook his head. "I…it was like every n…nightmare I've e…ever had was real. I c…can't explain it," he said softly. Duncan frowned. This didn't sound normal at all. 

            "Have you been taking your medication?" 

            "D…dammit Duncan! I h…have diabetes! I'm n…not schizophrenic!" 

            "Well, perhaps low blood sugar combined with the fatigue of staying up all night is causing a chemical imbalance in your brain which is producing these…illusions," Duncan said. It started to snow lightly. He flicked on the windshield wipers. He hoped the roads wouldn't get too bad. He wanted to get back to the dorm and go to bed. 

            "Y…you t…talk like a d…damned b…book," Calvin said after a while. "I…it wasn't fatigue. I_ know _w…what I f…felt."            

            "Well, feelings are pretty unstable things. Maybe you just _thought you were feeling something. I keep telling you that reading all those fantasy novels isn't healthy. You should try reading something __serious once in a while."  
            "Just s…shut the h…hell up, Duncan. Y…you are such a d…damned snob."_

            Duncan slammed on the breaks so hard that the car started to skid on the slick road. He quickly got the car back under control. Once it had come to a complete stop, he put into park and faced his friend. Calvin was leaning back, eyes wide, hands clutching at the seat.

            "S…shit! W…what the h…hell did you d…do t…that f…for?!"  Calvin squeaked.

            "I am _not a snob okay? I grew up so poor we could barely afford school supplies. I _know _what snobs are. I would _never _treat people the way they do," he said. Calvin chuckled without humor and shook his head._

            "L…like hell you don't. 'You s…should read _s…serious _books, C…Calvin.' 'You d…don't know what y…you're talking about, C…Calvin.'  'I…I'm a (&)%ing g…genius and y…you're a m…moron, s…so obviously I know b…best.'"

            "I never said that!"

            "You d…didn't have too. Your n…nose is so h…high up in the a…air you c…can't even see your f…feet." 

            "You don't know what you're talking about," Duncan said, jerking the car out of park and starting down the road. He was _not a snob! He just pointed things out to people they couldn't see for themselves! Calvin was just mad because Duncan was right and they both knew it. There was a sigh of disgust beside him. Duncan chose to ignore it. _

            "Y…you know…at f…first I felt s…sorry for me. But n…now I s…see you're m…more pathetic."  
            "And what makes you say that?" Duncan said, surprising himself at the patronizing sarcasm that had crept into his voice. Well… It was late. He normally wouldn't act like this. But it was late.

            "Y…you don't believe in anything, d…do you?"

            "That's because there's nothing to believe in. I've grown out of make-believe…and you should too."

            "I only w…wish I c…could."


	26. Taka

**To Meet Again**

**Part 27:**

**Taka**

**~~~**

**Knotes****: Once again a biiig thanks to Chibi Kaz. Discontinuities? What discontinuities? **

**~~~**

            Taka shrugged on his jacket. He had to catch up with them. Somehow he had to show Chiriko who his friend really was. If he were killed again… Now when Miaka was so happy… He would not let this happen! He started for the door. A hand lightly grabbed his arm, stopping him. Taka looked over his shoulder at Nuriko.

            "I'll go after them. You stay here and watch Miaka just in case he comes back."  
            "I don't think that going after Duncan now is such a good idea. He seemed pretty upset."

            "I know… but it's for his own good. He could be killed if I don't help him." 

            "I don't think so," Nuriko said. Taka turned to face him, searching the shorter man's brown eyes. Taka knew Nuriko had heard what he'd said about Miboshi. Surely he would understand. 

            "He's evil Nuriko…"

            "Come with me."

            "I don't have time," Taka said, trying to get away from his friend's grip. Nuriko pulled at him. Taka stumbled and was forced to follow the man to the other side of the room or fall on his face and be dragged across the floor. Nuriko led him to a suitcase, knelt and riffled through its contents. Taka shifted from foot to foot and glanced anxiously at the door. The longer he waited here, the more Miboshi had time to do something. If he ran fast enough he might make it. But something was keeping him there. Something almost like seishi's instinct. He hoped whatever it was didn't end up with Chiriko being killed. 

            "Ah! Found it," Nuriko said, pulling out a picture frame and waving it with a flourish. Taka sweatdropped.

            "Just a picture?"

            "Non, non, non! Just look at it Taka. Look at it and tell me what you see." Nuriko hel the frame out to him. With a sigh, Taka took it and glanced at it. There was Nuriko and some other guy standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. 

            "I don't see what this has to do with anything."

            "Oh…right." Nuriko took the picture from him and smiled sheepishly. "I forgot. You never saw him. This," He pointed to the hulking man beside him in the picture. "Is Ash. Ash Tare Isengard."

            Taka was about to ask what his point was, then realized. Ash Tare… Ashitare.  Taka stared. He'd only seen him dead, but this man looked much more…human. Maybe…maybe it was someone else.

            "In the past, he killed me," Nuriko said softly. "I even think I can remember it sometimes." Taka looked at him. There was a fond smile on his face as he gazed at the picture. Nuriko and Ashitare…friends? The purple-haired man laughed.

            "Don't look so startled. I've known Ash even longer then I've known Duncan! He's one of my closest friends."

            "But…how could you…I mean…he killed you," Taka said, trying to understand the reasoning. Nuriko shrugged lightly and tucked the picture back into the suitcase.

            "So? We all have to die sometime, no? Besides, that is buried in the past…quite literally in fact. I don't worry about it."

            "I don't think this is the right one. From what I heard, Ashitare was a bloodthirsty man eater."

            "I don't know. I can't remember. But don't you think even bloodthirsty man eater's have the right to change?"

            "Miboshi's different. Miboshi is evil. Chiriko killed him and he'll want to return the favor the first chance he gets. That's why-" Taka was cut off when Nuriko put his fingers to his lips. 

            "Why you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps his friendship with Duncan is a form of retribution. If something were really wrong, Duncan would sense it. He may not believe…but once a seishi, always a seishi." 

            Taka nodded slowly. It was a good point. He still didn't trust Miboshi…but…Nuriko could be right. Anyway, Chiriko wasn't a meek little boy anymore. He was a man. A man with a very strong will. 

            "Whas goin' on?" Miaka said from the bed. He looked over at her. She was leaning on her elbow blinking at them sleepily. Damn. He didn't want her to be worried. Even with Nuriko's reasoning, she'd be up all night if she knew. 

            "Nothing _cherie__," Nuriko said with a broad smile._

            "I think I heard shouting." 

            "It was just the TV. No need to worry," Nuriko said, flouncing gracefully on his own bed. 

            "Oh," Miaka said. Then she looked at Taka and her forehead wrinkled. "What are you doin' over there?"

            "Uuhh," Taka started.

            "Well we were _planning _to have an affair. But I guess it's too late now." 

            Taka tried to glare at Nuriko. But the familiarity of his friend's playfulness made him smile. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed that. Nuriko winked at him and blew him a kiss. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

            "Takaaa," Miaka whined softly. Taka gladly crawled back into bed and pulled Miaka closer to him. She sighed happily and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. He put his other arm around his son and got much the same reaction. He sighed too and closed his eyes.

            Warmth filled his heart and flooded out into his body. No matter what happened in the day, he could go back to his family and everything would be all right again. Even when Hikari threw a fit or made a mess, it was wonderful. His wife, his son…his children on the way…his home. Soon the others would be coming back into their lives. More family…more friends. Even if things went a little wrong…he couldn't wait to meet them all again. 

            He would have been content to stay forever wrapped up in his family. But, reincarnated seishi or no, he was still human. Not a few hours after snuggling down, nature called, very insistently. Taka inched out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. It felt like gravity was working overtime. He finished his business, washed his hands and was about to crawl into bed when his cell phone went off. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. If that was Wakahari again he was going to shoot him. An assistant was supposed to _assist_, not call for help every ten minutes. He rummaged the phone out of his coat pocket, toddled back to the bathroom so he wouldn't disturb anyone, and flipped it open.  

            "Moshi moshi?"  
            "Taka!" bellowed an insanely happy, insanely loud and very familiar voice. Taka winced and held the phone from his ear. Ever since Keisuke had moved to America it was if he was on permanent sugar high. He made Hikari seem almost quiet in comparison. 

            "Taka! You can not believe what I just found!" 

            "What?" Taka asked, reluctantly drawing the phone closer to his ear so Keisuke would be able to hear him.

            "It's so amazing! I can't believe it!"

            "What is?" 

            "And it was staring me in the face the whole time! Can you believe that?!"

            "Keisuke, if you don't tell me what it is in about three seconds, I'm hanging up." 

            "Tasuki! I found Tasuki!" Keisuke roared happily. Taka's heart jumped into his throat. Tasuki. That was the third one. Three seishi in one night. It _must be that they were all coming together! _

            "Are you sure?"

            "Yeah. I even have proof. Hey, why don't you meet me at the Waffle House?"

            "What now?"

            "Hai!"    

            "Keisuke, it's only five-thirty in the morning," Taka said, glancing at his watch.

            "So?!"

            "Hikari's not even up this early. Tell you what, why don't we meet somewhere around noon? We've had a late night." 

            "Sure! What about the Starlight Café?"

            "Fine." Taka stifled a yawn with his hand. 

            "Anyway, how are you doing? Did you have a nice trip in Europe with Tetsuya and Yui?  They're going to stay here by the way. Tetsuya says it's cheaper then a hotel. He's always mooching off of me. He says I still owe him yen for the pachinko slots. That was over ten years ago! He really knows how to hold a-" 

            "Oyasumi," Taka said and hit the end button. He didn't mean to be rude but Keisuke could talk the ears off a dead horse when he got going. Taka slipped the phone back in his coat pocket and slipped back into bed. He had just closed his eyes when a pudgy little finger poked him in the ribs. Taka groaned.

            "Daddy?"  
            "I'm not Daddy until at least seven-thirty. Go bug Mommy."

            "Dirty Daddy," Hikari insisted. Taka wrinkled his nose as the proof wafted in the air. Oh yes. Dirty. Very dirty. Wonderful. Unfortunately, this was strictly Daddy territory. As Yui often said: The day men can produce milk is the day they won't have to change diapers. It seemed to Taka though, that since women were responsible for putting it in, they should have to deal with what came out. Especailly when it was only five-thirty in the morning. Unfortunately, Miaka was too cute to wake up. 

            Taka changed Hikari as quickly as possible. Then he got back in bed and snuggled close to his wife. He had just started to drift off when he was attacked by a rabid toddler. Taka grunted as Hikari's sharp little knees dug into his stomach. 

            "Play Daddy!" the boy chirped. 

            "Daddy's trying to sleep."

            "Play, play, play!" Hikari started to bounce. Taka gently deposited his son on the bed beside him. There was a maniacal little giggle. 

            "Tag!" Hikari said, playfully slapping him the ear.  Taka sighed heavily. It wasn't really Hikari's fault. Once the boy opened his big purple eyes, he was off like a little cannon ball. Only Miaka could match him in energy. It was really no wonder they both ate so much. His precious little anvil scrambled onto his stomach again. 

            "Daaadddddyyyyy!" the boy whined.  

            "Would you like me to take him?" said a soft, warm, sent from heaven, voice. Taka smiled. 

            "Mmm. I would love you forever."  
            Miaka giggled.

            "You all ready do!" 

            "That's true."  

            With another soft laugh, Miaka took the young elephant off his chest. 

            "I wanna play with Daddy!" Hikari said. Taka could just picture the pout on his little face. A pout that always turned him to butter. Miaka was the only one that seemed able to resist it.         

            "Would you like a doughnut?" Miaka asked.

            "Haaiiiii!" Hikari crowed. 

            "Then let's get some!" 

            The bed shifted as she moved off of it. Taka rolled into the warm spot she had left, buried his face in the pillow that smelled like her hair and fell asleep. 

            After a nice dream with Miaka in a bathtub overflowing with gold coins, he slowly came awake. Sunlight shone gently behind his eyelids. The TV was on and the crazy music of a kid's cartoon filled the air. Somewhere on the floor, Hikari was playing with his Tickle Me Elmo. Miaka and Nuriko were laughing about something. Taka sighed. This is what he loved waking up to. 

            Someone was sitting on the bed by his feet. He sat up, placed his hands on his wife's shoulders and nuzzled her ear. 

            "Hello my love," he murmured.

            "Bounjur!" 

            Taka fell off the bed. From somewhere else in the room, Miaka started laughing her head off. Taka cautiously opened one eye. His fears were confirmed as he saw the quaint little Frenchman grinning at him like there was no tomorrow.

            "I didn't know you felt that way, _mon__ cher." _

            "S…stop!" Miaka said. She was leaning against the wall and holding her stomach. Tears were streaking down her face.  "Ca…can't breathe!" she said, and broke into another fit of giggles. Suddenly she gasped and her eyes widened.  Taka sat up.

"What? What is it?"

"Aitori kicked!" she said, face glowing. Taka shuffled over to her on his knees and rested the side of his head against her stomach.  He smiled as the child kicked again. Aww. He knew his Daddy. 

"You wanna see your Daddy don't you? You're gonna be Daddy's little girl aren't you?"

"Yes she is," Miaka said. "Just like Kujaku is going to be Daddy's little boy." 

"Mmm," Taka agreed, rubbing his face against her belly.

            "What about me?!"  Hikari said. Taka shuffled over to his son and wrapped him in a bear hug.

            "You're Daddy's big boy."

            "Yay!" Hikari chirped, wrapping small arms around his neck. 

            "Awww," Nuriko cooed. "I think I've turned to sugar! You, Taka, are a wonderful father." 

            "As long as it doesn't come to disciplining," Miaka said with a little sweatdrop. "The first sign of a crocodile tear and he's putty in Hikari's paws." Nuriko laughed.

            "That sounds like the Tamahome we know!" 

            Oh. Right. Speaking of reincarnated seishi. Taka stood, holding his son in the crook of his arm. 

            "Keisuke called this morning. He wants us to meet him at the Starlight Café at noon," Taka said. Nuriko blinked.

            "Keisuke?"  
            "My brother," Miaka said with a smile. "He moved here about four years ago."

            "Why don't you stay at his apartment then?" 

            "It's a studio apartment and it's right above his bar," Miaka said. "We didn't think it would be good for the baby." Taka glanced at the clock.

            "Well…it's ten now. If we start getting ready we should just make it on time."  
            "I don't think it will take you two hours to get ready," Nuriko said with a laugh. Taka fixed him a dry look.

            "You've never had any experience with toddlers...have you?" 


	27. Lao Wei

**To Meet Again:  
Part 28**

**Lao Wei**

**~~~**

**Knote: For all those that requested a list of who's who…tough. ^_^ Trust me, by the end of this story you'll know who everyone is.  EVERYONE is a someone, unless I specifically say it's an OC. And if you don't know who Antonio is by the end of this chapter then there's no hope for ya. ^_^. I WILL however give you one freebie. This one can be kind of puzzling so I'll tell you. Miaka is Miaka. *ducks flying brick***

**Side Knote: Oh yeah! The people in the picture aren't going to show up who aren't all ready there, so you don't have to worry about their names. ^_^**

**~~~**

_The stadium opened up around him. Hundreds of people waited breathlessly in darkened seats. He skated out into the middle of the ice, the hot spotlight following his every move. The crowd cheered and cameras flashed like stars. Suddenly the crowd gasped, all at once, like an ocean wave receding. _

_            She was standing at the entrance. Dressed in red and sparkling like a diamond. He held out his hand. She came gliding over to him, skates not even seeming to touch the ice. Her small hand found his and suddenly they were dancing. Whirling through the dizzying array of shifting spotlights. Lost to the music that swelled around them. There timing was perfect. Their bodies seemed to know exactly where to be. Instinctively. When he picked her up and held her it felt as they were one. Then they parted, skating opposite ways around the rink to meet each other at the other end. _

_            Suddenly someone jumped into the rink from the stands, blocking her way. He was dressed in dark blue, ice wings stretching from his back. The man was going to take her! He knew the man was going to take her! He attacked, screaming, without thinking. The man fell, crashed, wings shattering, ice below them cracking into a thousand pieces. Water exploded from the cracks, rushing toward them. The man fell. He grabbed the man's wrist. _

_            "Don't die!" she screamed. She sounded so far away. He looked up to find her, but all he saw were knives shooting for his face._

Lao Wei gasped and jolted awake. Heart slamming against his ribs. Everything was dark. Had it happened again? No… No. His eyes were closed. That was all. His eyes were closed…and…someone was holding him. Lao Wei slowly opened his eyes. There was a very male face, very close to him. A man who stunk of beer and was currently watering the pillow from the side of his mouth. Oh dear gods.  

            "Shouka…" the man muttered.

            "Shouka's on the other side," Lao Wei squeaked. The man grunted, turned over and buried his face in the pillow. Lao Wei scrambled out of bed, staring at the now snoring man. When it seemed he wasn't going to make any more moves, the skater relaxed. 

            The guestroom was small, but cozy. With a king sized bed, which unfortunately hadn't been quite big enough, an oak dresser and a large window. Lao Wei gazed outside while he did his morning stretches. It was a beautiful day. The sky was sharp, winter blue and cloudless. The ground was covered with a thick blanket of snow and the trees had been encased in ice. 

            A strain of music caught his ear. He turned his head toward the sound. It was beautiful. Perhaps whoever was playing it could show him where he could take a shower. Lao Wei picked up his duffel bag and followed the music. He walked slowly in the hall as the carpet was soft and deep and he could wiggle his toes in it. The hallway opened to a large room with two wide windows that spilled in light. There were various musical instruments lying around. Antonio was standing in the middle of the room, playing a flute. The light seemed to enfold him and the little dust motes caught in the beams almost seemed to be dancing to the tune. After a little bit, the last few notes faded into a silence almost as beautiful as the music had been.

            "That was wonderful," Lao Wei said. Antonio jerked, turquoise eyes widening in surprise. 

            "Oh! Good morning. You startled me."

            "I am very sorry. I did not want to stop your music. It is very good."

            "Thanks," Antonio said with a smile. "The flute is my passion. Josh says it's a pansy instrument. This is from the man who bawls his head off at 'Casablanca'." 

            Lao Wei smiled politely, not quite getting the reference. There was an awkward silence. Antonio finally sweatdropped and smiled politely back.

            "Is…there something I can help you with?" 

            "Is there a bathing room?" 

            "Sure. Follow me." 

            Lao Wei followed him down another hall, this one lined with pictures of a happy Asian family. It was strange. Almost every face in the pictures he felt like he'd seen before. And…there was one face that he felt _should be there…but wasn't. He stopped at a group picture. The whole family was gathered together; in the background a large snow topped mountain caught the fiery glow of a setting sun. _

            "That's Kuran's family," Antonio said, coming to stand beside him. "That's her father and mother. That's her older brother Taka, who has his own business. Her _other older brother Yohei…who works his father's farm and her younger brother Shun. Last I heard he was going to be a monk, but he changes his mind so quickly."  _

            "Is she the only girl then? I would think she had a sister."  
            "Not that she's told me. Anyway, you'd better snag the bathroom before Mr. Clean does."  
            "Oh. Is he the one that created the TV Ad?" Lao Wei asked as they continued walking. Antonio gave him a strange look.

            "TV Ad?"

            "Yes. The bald man with a floor brightener." 

            "Huh? Oh!" He laughed. "No. No it's just his nickname."

            "Ah." 

            They reached the bathing room and Antonio pulled the door open. It was a fairly large bathing room with two sinks and a large mirror.  There was a large pile of clothes piled in the corner. And, Lao Wei blushed, a woman's…undergarment hanging on the doorknob. Antonio followed his gaze, went red as well and hastily tossed the undergarment into a basket sitting by the door. 

            "Sorry 'bout that. Alissa doesn't know the meaning of the word 'clothes hamper.'" Antonio sweatdropped and added. "Neither does anyone else in this house really." 

            "So when do you wash clothing?"  Lao Wei asked. Another sweatdrop was added to Antonio's growing collection.

            "Usually when Alissa tells someone to get of their lazy ass and wash the (&)%ing clothes. Pardon my French."

            "You speak French?"     

            There was another awkward silence. Now it was Lao Wei's turn to sweatdrop. He had the vaguest feeling he'd said something stupid but Antonio was too nice to mention it. After a moment, the black-haired man cleared his throat.

            "Anyway, there's a towel and wash rag hanging on the door if you need it. Oh yeah, by the way, do you mind if other people come in? Other guys I mean? Kev needs a dark room so this is the only bathroom we have."

            "I do not mind. I usually shower with other men," Lao Wei said. A very large sweatdrop replaced the others on Antonio's head.

            "O…k…," the man said, voice sounding a little strangled. "Yes. Well. I'll uhh…leave you to it."  The door shut. Lao Wei rubbed the back of his head. That had not come out right. English was such a difficult language. After practice, Coach always had them take a shower.  

Oh well. He could clear it up later. He set his duffel bag on the floor and rummaged around for the eye drops.  Finding them, he took out his contacts and put a few drops in his dry eyes. Ugh. He was never sleeping with contacts in again. Actually, he would never have to wear them again. He tossed the green irised contacts in the trash and looked in the mirror. His own brown eyes stared back at him. How wonderful. Green was not his color anyway.

Now, to fix his hair. He pulled the band from his ponytail and watched with mild irritation as his bangs sprung up.  He could not get them to lie down unless he drowned them in hairspray. They were growing to long though; he'd have to trim them again. The last thing he wanted was to go walking around with fifteen foot bangs. Grabbing a washrag from the door, he stepped into the shower and closed the frosted plastic door. He sighed happily as the hot water hit him. 

It was amazing when he stopped to think about it. He was in America! He was away from his Coach and his country and on his way to becoming free. Lao Wei couldn't help but smile at that thought. Free to live where he wanted. To say what he wanted, even if it opposed the government. Free to _do what he wanted. Not that he would give up ice skating. That was his passion. His joy. The only thing that kept him sane sometimes. Even if it wasn't for a crowd. Just to glide across the ice like a bird in flight made his spirit soar. Perhaps one day he would find someone to fly with.  _

Suddenly there were three sharp raps at the door.

"Knock knock. Who's dere? It's me Kevin. Any girls in dere? Nope. All right, better not be 'cuz I'm comin' in. Whatever." 

Lao Wei sweatdropped. How…very…interesting.  Kevin banged his fist against the shower door.

"Yo. Gettin' out of dere sometime before New Years?"

"I just arrived. But I will hurry."

"Oh. It's you Lao. Nah. Don't worry 'bout it. Thought it was Josh. Once he gets in the shower it takes a damned lever ta get him out."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Take your time. I ain't in no hurry." 

"Many thank yous."  Lao Wei looked at the array of shampoos arranged in a little plastic basket that was attached to the wall. He chose the one that smelled like kiwi, put some on his hands and started scrubbing it through his hair. The dye would take a lot of effort to get out. Kevin started humming something. It sounded very much like the song from last night. 

"Da, da, da, da otokori hakei. Da, da, da, da, rekka shin-en. Somethin', somethin' somethin'." Then he started belting out very bad Japanese in a very bad voice, punctuated with the occasional 'ow' or 'shit' or 'ya damned defective razor!' 

"Perhaps…" Lao Wei said hesitantly. "Perhaps…you would not cut yourself so much if you did not sing while shaving."  

"Nah. I'm fine. Do it every mornin'. Sometimes ya just gotta sing." 

"Oh." Lao Wei really wished he wouldn't. Bad singing was not something he considered one of the joys in life. The door opened again.

"I can hear you from the basement, man," Joshua said.

"Ah shove it," Kevin said cheerfully. 

"You've been singin' the same damned song for a week too.  Even if you can't sing, can't you sing it right?"

"Why should I?"

"Because it annoys the hell outta me when you don't."

"And that's a good reason?" 

"Shut up," Joshua said, but he didn't sound as if he meant it. There was a pause. Then. "Hey! Squeeze from the bottom of the tube!"

"I'll squeeze it whatever damn way I want." 

"You can start doin' that when you start paying for the damned toothpaste." 

"A bit anal this mornin' ain't we?"

"(&)% off."  

There was a squeak and suddenly the water was freezing cold. Lao Wei yelped and jumped back from it. His foot slid out from under him and his head hit the back rim of the tub with a loud 'whock'. The shower door slid open. When the stars cleared from Lao Wei's vision, he saw too concerned faces peering down at him, one with a toothbrush in his mouth. 

"You all right?" Joshua asked. 

"Yes. I'm fine no da," Lao Wei said, gingerly feeling the lump on the back of his head.  

"Wuf fuh helf dif hif saf?" Kevin said. Joshua rolled his eyes and took the toothbrush from his friend's mouth.

"What?"

"I said: What the hell did he say?"

"He said he was fine, moron. Are you deaf?"

"How do you know?"

            "Because that's what he just said!"

            "Last time I checked, ya didn't know Chinese from a hole in the ground."  
            "He wasn't speakin' Chinese!"

            "The hell he wasn't!" 

            "Look, were you speaking Chinese?" Joshua asked. Lao Wei blinked, then sweatdropped.

            "I…honestly cannot remember."  
            "Well he wasn't speakin' Chinese okay?"

            "Well then why the hell couldn't I understand him?"

            "'Cuz you're a freakin moron," Joshua said, shoving the toothbrush back into Kevin's mouth and walking away. Kevin shrugged, gave Lao Wei a thumbs up sign, then shut the door. Lao Wei got to his feet, shaking his head. Well…that was…odd. 

            "Why'd ya turn on the hot water anyway? Couldn't you hear someone takin' a shower?" Kevin said. 

            "Thought it was Antonio."

            "Oh. If it was he woulda kicked yer ass."

            "Probably."  
            They left after a while and Lao Wei was left to finish his shower in peace. When he finished, he dried off, wrapped the towel around his waist and looked in the mirror. His hair was sky blue again. It hadn't been that way in so long. There were still a few streaks of brown here and there, but they'd be gone by the next washing. The gold chain he wore around his neck flashed in the light. He traced the chain down to the locket that hung at the bottom. There was something different about it. A sort of electric buzz he'd never felt before. He clicked open the locket. Inside lay a small coil of blue hair. He smiled and traced it lightly with his finger.

            "I made it here, Tiren. Can you see? I can be American now," he whispered. He closed the locket and kissed it. When he let it go, his fingers were tingling, like they'd fallen asleep. The feeling soon vanished and he shrugged it off. He changed, pulling on a loose red shirt and black pants. When he went back to the guest room he saw that the drunk man was still asleep. 

            "I understand how you feel no da," he murmured without thinking about it. He set the duffel bag in a corner. When he came back into the instrument room, a young woman with short brown hair was coming out of a narrow door. He smiled as he remembered her name.

            "Good morning Miss Alissa."  
            "Hey…." She stopped and gave him an odd look. He sweatdropped. He'd been getting a lot of those here.

"Wasn't your hair…brown?" she asked. He smiled.

"Not anymore."

"Oh… No one's in the shower are they?" 

            "No."

            "Good. Breakfast is cooking downstairs. Stairs are through that door," she said, pointing to the one she had just come out of.  "And if Josh says he wants a shower tell him he can wait a damned while. I have to work."

"I…would not think that he would like showers."

"Are you kidding? You can't get him out of one."

"So I have been told."

"If you think that's bad, wait till he takes a bath. Lord he stays in there forever. One day he's going to come out a prune." 

Lao Wei smiled politely. This was all very strange. In his experience, the redhead only took about one bath a week…and a short one at that. Of course, he'd never met Joshua before this so even thinking that was odd in itself. Strange things were happening all around him, but he didn't mind. He was always up for an adventure.

            The second floor was nice and spacious. It was obviously the activity center of the house. He followed his nose to the kitchen. A woman with blue-black hair was cooking something over the stove. Kuran… Antonio was at the table, reading the newspaper and Kevin was eating a bowl of cereal.

"Where is Joshua?"

"Downstairs," Kevin said, gesturing vaguely behind him. Lao Wei went down another flight of steps to what was obviously a basement. There were two rooms on either side, both had their door open. Lao Wei went toward the one that looked like it had gotten hit by a typhoon. This must be Joshua's room. Unfortunately the redhead didn't seem to be here.

"Joshua?" he called.

"In here," said a voice from the other room. When Lao Wei reached Joshua's room, he couldn't help but stare. Everything was…neat. Not extremely neat… But…neater then it should have been. At least the various anime posters on the walls screamed out his personality, even when his room didn't. Joshua was sitting at a cluttered desk, painting a model of a sort of robot.

            "Joshua… I was wondering…." Lao Wei started.

            "Ooone second," Joshua said. He dabbed a bit of paint on the robot's chest, then blew on it. Finally he held it up and grinned triumphantly. "Check it out!"

"You did a very good job."

"Yeah. This is Sandrock. I love Sandrock. It has _feelings_, man. Antonio says that the pilot is a pansy. Of course this is from a guy who plays the flute." 

Lao Wei continued to smile. He didn't think he would ever understand what was going on. 

            "I was wondering how I become American," Lao Wei said. Joshua rubbed the back of his head.

            "Damned if I know. I know you gotta take a bunch of tests and apply for citizenship. Me and Kev were plannin' to take you down to Denver today. It should have _something_." 

            "I am really thankful for this. I know it is an inconvenience."

"Nah…anything to help a friend."

Lao Wei looked around the room again. A picture on the dresser caught his eye. It was a group shot of all of them…and another boy. They all looked in their late teens. The other boy…looked familiar somehow too. As if sensing what he was thinking, Joshua took the picture down and grinned at it. 

"Yeah…we were young and stupid then. You see that guy?" he asked, turning the picture to face Lao Wei and pointing to the stranger. 

"Yes."

"That's Andy Wong. He was a foreign exchange student who stayed at my house during high school. Complete and utter bastard if you touched his hair. Total bathroom hog… But he wasn't too bad." 

Lao Wei touched the part of the picture that had caught his eye first. It was Joshua with Alissa sitting on his lap, leaning back against him. They both looked so happy. Again, the redhead seemed to read his mind. He slapped the picture on top of the dresser, face down.

"Ya know what I hate?" Joshua said, looking away from him. "I hate dumb ass mistakes. I hate seein' them and I really, really hate makin' them." 

"What happened? Did she love someone else?"

"Would have been better if she did. I'll tell ya this." He looked at him straight in the eye. "Never…under any circumstances…date your friend. 'Specially if it's a close friend that's so much like family to ya it's hard to tell the difference."

"Food's ready!" Kuran called. Joshua grinned suddenly, showing off his fangs.

"I'm hungry. Let's go grab some food. Then we can take you to Denver."

"Again, thank you."

"Don't worry about it Chichiri."

"Lao Wei."  
"What?" Joshua asked.

"My name is Lao Wei. Not Chichiri."

            "Oh." He sweatdropped. "Right. Sorry. The weirdest things have been poppin' out of my mouth lately." 

            Lao Wei smiled fondly. Different or no. He was still an old friend. A friend it was wonderful to see again. After so many years of having nothing, it was so wonderful to finally see a familiar face. Even if it was a familiar face he'd never seen before.   
  
  
  



	28. Misgivings

**To Meet Again**

**Part: 29**

**Misgivings**

**~~~**

**Knote****: The format is all messed up. ^^; FF.net again. Someday I'm going to make a webpage for this story. **

**~~~**

The burgundy station wagon hummed down the road. Japanese pop music was playing softly in the background. Beside him, Hikari played happily in the car seat. Nick watched him and couldn't help but smile. Ahh he was so cute. He was simply impossible to resist. It was not fair. 

            "…price was ridiculous," Taka was saying. "We could have rode the bus at least twenty times for what it cost for this rental car. Of course America can't even have a decent train service. Don't even get me started on the hotel fares. Between this and Europe we'll be flat broke in a month."

            "Ah Taka, you always say that," Miaka said with a laugh. "We'll be _fine. You worry too much." _

            "So what do you do?" Nick asked.

            "We have our own business!" Miaka chirped. She scuffled around for something in the front seat. Then she held up a big, stuffed doll. Nick burst out laughing. It looked just like Jason! The expression was even perfect. 

            "Inu!" Hikari cried, reaching for it. 

            "It's his favorite toy," Miaka explained. Nick gave it to him and watched as the toddler began to happy gnaw the Jason doll's ear.

            "We make seishi plushies!  All different kinds and sizes! We're even going to team up with Tetsuya and make seishi candy!" Miaka was squealing happy. Nick could picture her excited expression. He closed his eyes and smiled. It was soo good to be back with her. It was like finding his best friend all over again. 

            "Show him your keychain," Taka said. He was just speaking casually, but there was undeniable warmth to his voice. Nick's heart turned to complete mush. This was love. True love. Taka should have really been born French. 

            "Oh right!" Miaka said. Nick suddenly found a smaller plushy being shoved in his face. He blinked and took it. What he saw made him smile. It was Andy in imperial robes. There seemed to be a small bucket on his head.

            "We have two versions of Hotohori. That one and one where he's in his traveling clothes. The other one sells really well!" Miaka said.

            "Both of them sell really well," Taka said with a little sweatdrop. "We can barely keep Hotohori on the shelves."

            "I don't doubt it," Nick said with a laugh. Knowing Andy, he'd be very pleased with this information. It seemed everyone wanted a piece of him. Not, that Nick could blame them.

            "You sell really well too," Miaka said. "Actually both the male and the cross dressing one are pretty much the same. People like them both."

            "Cross dressing?" Nick asked, raising his eyebrows. Another sweatdrop appeared on Taka's face.

            "Hai!  I have a picture!" Miaka said, cheerfully oblivious to her husband's discomfort. She riffled around in her purse for a moment. Finally she pulled out a little magazine and handed it back to him. The picture on the cover of the magazine made his heart still. All of them. He traced his fingers down the familiar faces. All of them. Miaka in the middle making a peace sign. 

            _This is home…his heart whispered. A tear plopped onto the magazine. He brushed it away and pressed his lips together. This was what he'd been looking for. This was what he'd always been looking for. Miaka's bright voice interrupted his thoughts._

            "You're on page four."  
            Nick turned and what he saw made him laugh.  Pouty expression, lady's dress, fan, everything. The doll didn't seem like it was him at all. A part of him, though, knew. It was what he once was. This, fan up the bum, court lady. He shook his head. 

            "What do you think?" Miaka said.

            "Very cute. I'd even date me." 

            He flipped through the magazine some more. Duncan was so _cute _back then! He wondered if the red head was still as loud as ever… And if the blue haired man had ever completely taken off his mask. Nick sighed. He wanted to see them, all of them again so badly. He closed the magazine and gazed at the picture on the front. 

            "You know, you should do a clothing line or something," Nick said.  "I would love to wear my own t-shirt."  
            "We're trying but we can't seem to get a good contract," Taka said. 

            "Ooh. I would be happy to help. I'm sure I can convince Jacques to make you a good offer. Half of the business is mine anyway."  
            "Is he your partner?" Taka asked. Nick shook his head.

            "Brother."

            "What about your little sister? Is she okay?" Miaka asked, turning so she could look at him. Nick smiled.

            "I don't have a little sister. Helen is older then me by a year and Christine by two minutes."

            "You have a twin!?" Miaka squealed. Nick laughed. That was what he loved about her. She was so happy for everyone. 

            "Oui."

            "That's good," Taka said. 

            "What about your family?" Nick asked. "You have four siblings, no?" 

            Miaka lowered her eyes and a small frown pulled at her face. Nick's eyes widened.

            "_Mon Dieu!__ Did something happen again?! Taka?!"_

            "Iie…nothing like that," Miaka said, shaking her head. "All of Taka's family is okay but…. Taka's mother miscarried and…it was a little girl."  
            Oooh. Nick glanced at Taka. Poor baby. The little girl had been his favorite. She was the one he held when something…terrible happened. Nick couldn't remember what it was. He didn't try pressing it though. Some things were just not to be remembered in this life. The past was buried. 

            "It's all right," Taka said with a false smile. "I'm sure…she'll come back to me. Somehow…"

            "That's right," Miaka said with a nod. "We're all going to meet again!"

            "Oui! So don't be so depressed Taka!" Nick said, smacking him lightly in the head. He hadn't done it hard at all. Which was why it surprised him to see Taka's forehead hit the steering wheel. The car swerved. When Taka got it under control, he glared at Nick through the rearview mirror. There was a deep indentation in his forehead.

            "Do you mind not doing that!?"

            "Sorry," Nick said, putting a hand to his cheek. Hikari giggled.

            "Yanagi-oji!" the boy crowed. Nick smiled. He was so cute!  

---

            "Oh wow! It's so nice to meet you finally! I've heard about you so much! Are you still gay?!" Keisuke asked. Nick sweatdropped. This man was definitely was related to Miaka. He had her famous tact.  

            "Keisuke…" Miaka said, an even bigger sweatdrop trailing down her face. Nick extracted his hand from the blond's exuberant grip. 

            "It…is very nice to meet you too."  

            "Oh wow. This is so awesome! I'm actually in the same room with one of the Suzaku seishi!"  Stars were dancing in Keisuke's eyes. Other people were staring. Keisuke, however, seemed oblivious to the fact. 

            "I'm one of the seishi too," Taka said. 

            "But I mean, this is Nuriko. I mean, wow! The cross-dresser himself!" _Monnn_ Dieu. _Nick slapped a hand to his reddening face. People started talking around him. He liked attention as much as the next man. But this was a bit much…even for him. _

            "Are you _blushing Nuriko?" Miaka asked, peering at him. Nick laughed and flapped his hand._

            "Non! Not me!"

            "Awww…you are! That's so cute!" Miaka squealed, grabbing his arm. 

            "That's so cute!" Taka mimicked. Nick hit him. Taka slammed into the wall hard enough to make a dent. Nick stared, then looked at his hand. Had…had he done that? Something very strange was going on. He'd _never been that strong.  _

            "Don't worry," Miaka said. "It's just your seishi power! You're really becoming Nuriko!" 

            Nick stared at her. Her words sent a chill through him. Becoming…Nuriko? It would make Miaka happy. Suddenly he could see himself, dressed in a mini skirt, giggling like a little girl. He wrapped his arms around himself. It would make Miaka happy. But…he didn't _want _to be Nuriko. He wanted to be Nick. Remembering the past was all well and good. He didn't want to return to it. He didn't want to be the person he once was. 

            "Are you all right?" Taka asked. He didn't seem mad that Nick had pummeled him into a wall. The Frenchman smiled and shrugged lightly. No use getting anyone else worried.

            "I'm…I'm fine. Just a bit chilly."             

            "Are you sure? Nuriko?" Miaka asked. She was looking at him closely. _Don't let her know, _he begged silently. _I don't want to worry her. Please don't let her know. _Keisuke suddenly endeared himself to Nick forever. The blond brandished a picture and in a loud voice said:

            "Look!" 

            "TASUKI!!!" Miaka squealed. Nick breathed a sigh of relief. Thank heaven for that. Miaka would be so excited about it, she wouldn't even bother to ask. Taka though, would be harder to convince. Nick shoved the worries into the back of his mind and put on his best charmers smile. He linked his arm through Taka's.

            "Shall we order now _mon_ cher_?" _

            "Sure…" Taka said. The expression on his face didn't meet his eyes. Taka was definitely…not convinced. Nick forced himself to laugh. All he had to do was keep on pretending. Pretending while inside he was scared to death. That was what he always did. In one form or the other.


	29. Hidden Heart

**To Meet Again**

**Part 30: **

**Hidden Heart**

**~~~**

**Knote: Yes I know. Started out Jason. Is getting away from Jason. I WARNED ya it would. ^^; Don't worry though. I AM NOT going to forget about him. All the stories are going weave together.**

**  
ACCK. Stupid title. I know. ^^: So sue me. **

**~~~**

The bathroom wall felt cool against the back of his neck. Jason closed his eyes and waited for his stomach to settle. He hated… absolutely _hated _throwing up. There was no worse thing in the world then to feel his stomach trying to climb out of his esophagus. It tasted like he'd eaten something rotten. His stomach squirmed at the thought. Jason groaned and rested a hand against it. On top of everything, his tongue felt like it had swollen to a balloon, and tiny imps with sledgehammers were having a field day inside his head.

            He wasn't even entirely sure where he was. The last thing he remembered was falling on some woman's lap.  The woman, apparently, had taken pity on him and brought him to her house. She'd been there when he'd came stumbling in, asking where the bathroom was. He could vaguely remember mumbling out some half-baked apology. What had she said her name was again? Karen? Kristen? No, Koran, that was it. Gyokuran. Or was it just Koran? He seemed to remember calling her Gyokuran long ago…but that was when she was younger…much younger. Strangely enough, although she was little, he couldn't remember himself being any older then he was now. Maybe he'd just dreamed he knew her. He didn't know. It was too hard to think about anything other then his pounding skull. 

            Once his stomach had settled, he hauled himself to his feet. He caught his reflection in the mirror. Red rimmed, bloodshot eyes. Messy, greasy hair which stuck up in odd clumps all over his head. Two days worth of beard stubble. Ugh. No wonder Cassandra didn't want anything to do with him. He looked like a bum. A stupid, pathetic, burger-flipping, loser. At least he wasn't living at home. That would have been _really _sad. 

            Jason rinsed his mouth out a few times. Then, turned from the moron in the mirror and started running the water for a shower. Dammit. Why did running water have to be so damned loud? The lights were way too bright too. When he stepped in, the water scalded him. He turned it down and was doused in ice. Aargh. Stupid damned shower! 

            _That's why you shouldn't drink. Cassandra's voice whispered in his mind. _You're always in such a grumpy mood afterward. __

            Oh. Wonderful. _Now _she was his conscience as well. But then…she'd always been his conscience. Whatever he did in life, whatever decisions he'd made, her voice had always been there. Before it had comforted him. Now he just wanted it to go away. What he wouldn't give to forget her. The world was full of cantankerous people. People who didn't care. People who thought love was just a four-letter word. Lucky them. He wished he could be like them. He wished he didn't have to care. Caring hurt too much. 

            Shower done, he stepped out and toweled off his hair. He still looked like a bum…but at least now he was a clean bum. He picked up his shirt from where he'd thrown it. Yellow eyes regarded him sleepily. _You disturbed my nap, _they said. Jason glared half-heartedly at the cat. Waiit a minute. Just how had Tom gotten in here anyway? The door had been closed. 

            "I think you just like to drive me crazy," Jason told him. Tom stretched, gave a mighty yawn and leapt onto the sink. The man shook his head and started pulling on his clothes. When he was done, the cat jumped onto his shoulder. Jason smiled and stroked the warm ball of gray fur. As much of a pest as Tom could be, he loved the cat. Tom was always there. Even when everything went to hell. Tom, to his credit, didn't purr. At the moment, even his own footsteps were giving him a headache. 

            He left the bathroom and went slowly down the stairs. From where he was standing, he could just see into the kitchen. There were people talking in there. A part of him didn't want to go. But the annoying majority of him knew that he had to get something in his stomach. Ugh. Why couldn't she have left him at the bar? He hated dealing with people when he was in a bad mood. The kitchen was too damned bright. Unfortunately, it was sunlight. It just _had to be a sunny day didn't it? It couldn't be cloudy and miserable. Oh no. _

            At least the people sitting at the table hadn't noticed him yet. Maybe he could just sneak in, steal a slice of bread and sneak back out. He was halfway to the refrigerator when Tom meowed and a cheerful voice said: 'Good morning!" 

            This was followed 'mornin'' and a muffled 'yo'. Jason narrowed his eyes. Tom, sensing his doom, scattered off Jason's shoulders and went up to a blue haired man. Ooh that cat was dead. He was going to make himself a nice gray hat. 

            "We got bread and shit over here," the redhead said, waving his hand a vacant seat. Reluctantly, Jason sat. Everyone looked cheerful. It was only, he glanced at the clock, two in the afternoon. Way too early for people to be cheerful. 

            "Did you sleep well?" said Jun. Jason looked at him. Then looked again. He _sounded like Jun… and had the same mindless cheerfulness… But his hair was powder blue now and his green eyes had turned a rich brown, almost red color. Suddenly he seemed even more familiar then he had before._

            "You're not…Hou Jun…" 

            "No." The man sweatdropped. "Lao Wei Jun." 

            "And I'm Joshua," said the redhead. "And that's Kevin." Joshua pointed to a dark-haired man who was trying to get his mouth around a twelve layer sandwich. The woman wasn't around. Not that he particularly cared, but he had to ask.

            "Where's Gyokuran?" 

            "Why?" Joshua narrowed his eyes. "You wanna assault her again?

            "I believe that was accidental," Lao said. 

            "Bullshit! I know his type!" 

            Jason rolled his eyes and tuned the redhead out. Joshua had too big a mouth for his own good. 

            "Kuran's at work," Kevin said. 

            "Don't tell him that ya moron! He might stalk her," Joshua yelled.

            "He would not do that," Lao said. "He all ready has someone he loves."  
            _Exactly, Jason thought.  He made himself a dry cheese sandwich. The sooner he ate something, the sooner he could leave. Then he could go wherever. Somewhere up in the mountains. Far away from everyone. This time he wouldn't let anyone interfere. He didn't care if she was dying of a brain tumor. He would not leave his solitude to help her out. Suzaku be damned. Everyone be damned. He simply refused to help this time. _

            Suddenly the door slammed open. Jason winced. A young woman came barreling in, face red with anger. Jason rubbed the bridge of his nose. Ugh… He would sell his soul for an aspirin. 

            "What th' hell is wrong with you, Alissa?" Kevin asked. _Please don't shout, Jason begged silently. __Please for the love of God, don't shout.  _

            "I just walked two (&)%ing miles in the (&)%ing snow! That's what's wrong!" Alissa shouted. Inwardly, he groaned. It was official. Someone up there really had it in for him. 

            "Did yer car break down or somethin'?" 

            "No shit, Sherlock. Where the _hell _is Antonio?"

            "He's at work ya ding-dong," Kevin said.  The woman looked like she was going to shout again. Jason stood. That was it. His head was ringing enough all ready. He just wanted to go in his nice quiet car and drive down the road with his nice quiet cat. Alissa's heated glare fell on him. 

            "And where the hell do you think _you're _going?" she snapped. Snapped but didn't shout. Jason chose his answer carefully. The wrong one could set her off again.

            "Upstairs?" he said hopefully. Her eyes narrowed. Crap. 

            "I don't _think so. You aren't going up there alone. Who knows what you'd steal?"_

            Jason sat back down. Well, at least she hadn't shouted. So long as everyone kept to the same voice level, he was fine. Joshua made a derogatory noise. Jason glared at him. If he said anything, _anything _to make the woman shout again… 

            "Damn Alissa, just because you're in a bad mood doesn't mean you have to take it out on everyone else. Kevin here can take you to work."  
            "Er…no I can't. I gotta be at work in like…ten minutes. I told ya last night that I had to go in today."

            "Well I can't take you. I gotta take Lao to Denver. Why don't you just call in sick or something?"

            "I'm a nurse, I can't take a day off," her voice was calm, but razor sharp.  "It's something called, _responsibility. Of course you wouldn't know anything about that."   _

            There was a dead quiet then. Like the calm before a storm. Jason knew, that in a very short period of time, someone was going to start shouting. He stood and aliped out of the kitchen as unobtrusively as possible. 

            He had just made it to the stairs when the shouting started. Jason sighed and continued up to the room. This was not his day… Or week… Or life for that matter. Once he reached the room, he collapsed on the bed. He didn't care what happened to him. This was the last time he was getting himself drunk. It hurt too much in the morning. 

            The door opened. He opened one eye. It was Lao. At least it was someone relatively quiet. Jason closed his eye again and folded his arms behind his head. He wanted to go back to sleep for a while. 

            "I think they are really fond of each other," Lao said. The bed shifted as he sat down. There was a loud shout from downstairs and the sound of a door slamming. Jason raised his eyebrows.

            "It sure sounds like it."  
            "Sometimes people like to use words to hide," Lao said. That was true. It made sense that if Joshua liked anyone, he'd deny it up and down. In a way, he felt sorry for him. Love was stupid. Love only led to being burned. It was so much easier not to have anyone. 

            "What are you hiding from?" Lao asked. Jason sat up and looked at him. 

            "What makes you think I'm hiding from anything?" 

            "I can tell," Lao said with a gentle smile. "Hiding your heart does not always work so well." 

            "Have _you ever been in love and had your heart broken?" _

            "No…" Lao smiled sheepishly and sweatdropped. "It is just what I know."

            "Your heart tells you, right?" Jason asked, rolling his eyes. Lao nodded cheerfully. Ugh. The man sounded like an After school special. The heart was just an organ. It couldn't tell anyone anything. At least not in that way. And he was really starting to sound like Duncan. 

            The thought of his intelligent cousin made him wince. Duncan was going to _murder _him for doing this. Duncan was always so protective of him. He certainly didn't deserve Jason running off and not telling him anything. He closed his eyes. Oh well. Duncan would get over it. He was twenty now. He could take care of himself. The door slammed open and Jason winced.

            "You ready to go?" Joshua asked. He sounded tired.

            "What about Miss Alissa?" 

            "Eh." The redhead waved his hand dismissively. "She never wants to ride with me anyway. She gonna call one of her friends. Damned annoying woman."  
            "I will meet you again," Lao said, smiling at Jason. The figure skater shouldered a duffel bag, waved cheerfully and left. 

            "You can stay here till you feel up to driving," Joshua said with a weak grin. "See ya, Mitsukake."  He shut the door. Jason rested back on the bed, closing his eyes. He drifted into a light sleep. Twenty minutes later, he was awake again. Blinking at the floor. Tom. The last he'd saw the cat, it was with Lao. Jason stood and folded his arms. That stupid feline. Tom had better be here…for his own furry sake.  


	30. Like A Snowball to the Head

**To Meet Again:**

**Chapter 31**

**Like A Snowball to the Head**

**~~~**

**Knotes****: Aahhh, this is bleeding long. ^^; Thirty-one chapters all ready! Ne! If you want to read another good (horrendously long) fic, check out Night~Mare's Fushigi Yuugi. It's really good! Trust me! ^_~**

**~~~**

Cassandra stared at the blank paper. The paper stared back at her. She tapped her pencil absently against the table top. She had a report due in a week. Unfortunately, it wouldn't write itself.  She gazed out the window. Why did he have to be so stubborn? A better question was: why did she have to care so much? It shouldn't matter what he chose to do with his life. If he wanted to be a burger flipper, that was fine, she shouldn't care. Unfortunately, she did… a lot. It was almost like he was trying to hide a part of himself.        

            Suddenly the front door slammed open, making her jump. Laughter filled the room. The woman smiled to herself. That would be Danielle and Ash. They were so happy together. She looked at the direction of the noise, then back at her paper. It would really be wiser to finish…or even start for that matter. She stared at the blank paper a little longer. It remained blank. Oh well. Cassandra flung her pencil onto the desk and went out into the living room. They were sitting on the couch, faces red from a mixture of cold and laughter. As soon as Ash saw her, he gave her a big, lupine grin. 

            "So," she said leaning against the wall. "What did you guys do?"

            "We just went for a walk up to Eagle Head Rock," Danielle said, leaning her head on Ash's broad shoulder. He leaned back and wrapped and arm casually around her waist. Cassandra melted. They were so perfect together.  Cassandra sighed. She was perfect with someone too. At least it felt that way. If only he would stop running so much.

            "Is something wrong, Cass?" Ash asked. She smiled a little and shrugged.

            "No… not really."

            "So how is it going with you and Jason?" Danielle asked. Cassandra shook her head, standing up from the wall.

            "It's not."

            "What?" Ash sat up and looked genuinely shocked. She was a little surprised at his reaction. She hadn't thought he'd be that concerned.

            "You only went out on, what? One date?" Danielle laughed. "I knew Jason was boring but I didn't think he'd gotten that bad."  
            "It isn't that… I…we had a lot of fun."

            "Well then why did you break up with him?"  

            Cassandra turned and looked out the window. How could she explain it? She broke up with him to make him face up to what he was. Deep inside, she knew what that meant. But she doubted Danielle would understand. Danielle was a very down to earth person. Trying to explain anything even slightly occult would just result in her tuning out everything that was said. For someone who read Fantasy novels, her attitude was surprising.

            "I…it's just… Something happened in the past…"

            "I didn't think you knew Jason."  
            "No...not, yesterday past. But, a long time ago, like in a dream. I…I can't really explain it."

            "I understand," Ash said. She looked at him and realized he did. He really did. Suddenly she saw the bond between them. The thing that had pulled them together in the first place. However unrelated their pasts were; the fact that they both somehow knew something about it had been enough to draw them to each other. The phone rang, distracting her from her thoughts. She slipped into the kitchen and glanced at the Caller ID. Huh. That was odd. She picked up the phone.

            "Hey Alissa, how's it going?"  
            "So great I could scream."

            "That bad huh?" 

            "Yeah. Men are such a pain in the ass," the nurse said. Cassandra rolled her eyes. _Tell me about it, she thought. _

            "Fighting with Josh again?"

            "When am I not? Listen. I hate to bother you…but…could you possibly take me to work today? My car busted and there's no one to give me a ride."

            "I'd be glad to."

            "That's wonderful. Thank you so much."

            "It's no problem."  
            Three sweatshirts, two scarves, a jacket and a pair of gloves later, she was ready to go. Winter in the mountains was not something to be taken lightly. She got her keys from the table by the door and found her eyes drawn to the coat rack. Jason's coat hung there. She had completely forgotten to give it back to him. Cassandra took the worn leather coat from the hook and smiled as the familiar scents wafted from it. Mmm. She could see him in her mind's eye. Looking down at her. Smiling with his eyes. He could convey so much emotion in a single expression. She missed him all ready. But maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time he wouldn't be late. 

---

            Alissa's house was fairly small for the area she lived in. It was two stories with a gingerbread roof and white walls. It looked like a home more suited to a grandmother then five twenty-somethings. Cassandra pulled into the driveway. A beat up old station wagon was parked there. Was that Alissa's? She seemed to remember Alissa driving a smaller car. Maybe not. She didn't know Alissa all too well. They ate together in the cafeteria sometimes and Cassandra had been invited to their Christmas party. _That _had been interesting. Especially when the one called Antonio got drunk and was persuaded to walk around in a gold bra and miniskirt. 

            Cassandra went up to the door and lifted her hand to knock. Before it could, it swung open. The person standing on the other side was not Alissa. Her heart stopped as she looked into his eyes. He seemed about as surprised as she was. What was he doing here? 

            After her initial shock faded, she started to notice things. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was a mess and he was wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday. Lord. He was completely hopeless by himself. He'd been drinking too. She folded her arms and gave him a stern look. Drinking was fine in itself, but he always tended to go overboard. 

            "Jason," she said, shaking her head. His blue eyes suddenly became cold and distant. 

            "I'm really gonna kill that cat," he muttered, brushing past her. It was as if she weren't even there. Cassandra clenched her hands into fists and whirled around.

            "Damn you! Will you just stop running?!" she yelled. He paused briefly, turning his head a little. Then straightened his shoulders and continued. Ugh! He was so-freaking-impossible! Scooping up a handful of snow, she packed it and threw it at him as hard as she could. It smacked him right in the back of the head. He didn't even turn around. 

            Cassandra wrapped her arms around herself as she watched him drive away. It was different this time…but the same in a way. Maybe it would be better if she never cared at all. It would be so much easier on her heart. No… She shook her head. It wasn't right to wish things like that. He'd come around eventually. Love was rare. Not many found someone to love, truly love, and get the same in return. As much as she had to suffer, she knew she was lucky. She wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. 


	31. Perfection

**To Meet Again**

**Part 32:**

**Perfection**

**~~~**

**Knote****: Yes I know it's been a WHILE. I've been busy. ^ ^; This story is continuing and will CONTINUE to continue… All the threads will eventually tie together so be patient. ^^; I know what I'm doing. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but you can rest assured that it will. With school and work I don't have a whole lot of time. **

**~~~**

            Andy sighed and flopped on the bed. It had been a long day. Three appearances, an interview, a press conference, paparazzi dogging his every move. And the fans, hoards of them. All expected only on thing- perfection. Every gesture, every word whether speech or song, had to be perfect, graceful, beautiful. He was treated like a modern day emperor and the people expected him to act like it.  It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the attention…but sometimes it could be quite…tiring. 

            The door opened and Kanashii slipped in. She was wearing a body hugging shirt, an open sweater and a long filmy skirt that swished around her ankles, all in shades of blue. He liked her in blue. The color suited her perfectly, bringing out her beautiful sea blue eyes. She smiled and glided across the floor, blond hair floating behind her. She stopped at the foot of the bed, hands on her hips. One golden eyebrow rose.

            "Do you think your day is done, lazy?"  The small smile that twitched at the corner of her mouth took any sting out of her words. He stretched out, watching her through lowered eyes. As many faults as Kanashii had, there was no denying her beauty. 

            "Would you care to join me?" he asked, lightly stroking the pillow beside him. A low chuckle escaped her throat and she shook her head.

            "You really are too beautiful for your own good."  With an inert grace, she lounged beside him and tangled her long fingers in his hair. He leaned into it and purred, just to make her laugh again. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. 

            "You did well today," Kanashii said after a while. Her breath tickled his ear and made chills run down his spine. "You made those American's sit up and beg for more. We could really make it big here." 

            "Kanashii?"  
            "Mm?" 

            "How long do you think this will last?"

            "How long do you think what will last, koi?" The casual endearment warmed him even more then the feel of her lips moving against his neck. 

            "Everything. The fame, the popularity…" _You and me_, he added silently. She pushed herself up on her elbow. Long blond hair slipped from her shoulder and curled softly against his cheek. 

            "If we do it right, it will last forever."  
            He sighed and closed his eyes. Forever? He didn't want to be perfect forever. When did he get to stop pretending? When did he get to be him? All his life it had been the same thing. 'You're the perfect student; I bet you don't even have to study.' Or, 'Your face is so perfect, no wonder the women fall in love with you' Perfect. He was starting to hate that word. Kanashii, though, knew he wasn't perfect. She knew his flaws. She knew that he was farsighted and had to wear glasses to read anything under his nose. She knew that wherever there was an upturned rug or an uneven sidewalk, he was going to trip. She knew that he had morning breath that could kill small animals within a range of ten feet. Kanashii knew him. Kanashii _accepted _him. 

            "Kijutsu-san called today," she said after a while, sitting up and straightening her hair. 

            "And what did he want?"           

            "Well the performer they had scheduled for tomorrow cancelled. So they want you." 

            "That's great," he said, trying to sound enthusiastic. He would have _liked to watch the last day of the Olympics. But he should have known it would never come about. God forbid he ever had any free time.  _

            "Anyway, he's going to send Tora-san over later today to work on the choreography." 

            "Choreography?!" he echoed, sitting bolt upright and staring at her. She couldn't be serious. He couldn't do anything like that! Didn't she know that by now? Kanashii returned his gaze, blue eyes glittering like shards of ice. 

            "Yes."   

            "Kanashii…"

            "Don't, Andy. People are tired of just seeing your pretty face. They want to see you _move." _

            "And make a complete idiot out of myself?"

            "You can do it, Andy." Kanashii stood, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "You just have to have faith in yourself."

            Andy looked away, glaring at the floor. Faith in himself… How could he have faith when he _knew he couldn't do it? He'd never been able to do it. He'd always been uncoordinated and clumsy. Kanashii would make him do it, though. She would find some way to convince him. Andy clenched his hand into the bedspread. No, he couldn't allow her to do this to him. Not this time. If he went up on stage and actually…actually __danced everyone would know. There would be no life left for him. Nothing. _

            "I'm not doing it," he said, standing and going to the mirror on the other side of the room.  He snatched up a brush from the dresser and started to run it through his hair. Maybe she would see it as the end of the conversation. Maybe she would give up. Of course the chances of that happening were slim to none.

            "Yes, you are. I'm your manager, therefore it's up to me what you do and don't do." 

            "Funny," he said, glancing at her reflection. "I thought my life was up to _me." There was a silence then. A silence he could almost taste. Kanashii's eyes were narrowed into mere slits. He glared at her. _Just try and take my country, you bastard. _The thought seemed to pop out of nowhere. It vaguely startled him. Kanashii's next words, however, wiped everything from his mind._

            "I can break you, Wong. One word from me and you'll be nowhere, you'll be _nothing." As she spoke, she came up to him until she was standing at his shoulder. _

            "I don't care," he muttered, looking down at his clenched hands. "It doesn't matter if I'm 'something' or not." _Right? Does…does it really matter?  
_            "I suppose not. People will still like you because you're young and beautiful." Her voice was light, casual, but he knew her fangs were about to spring. "But what about when you're _ugly _and _old?  Who will care about you then?" _

            _I'll never be ugly, he wanted to say…but he knew it was true. One day he was going to lose this beauty. One day his smooth voice was going to crack with age. One day his long, graceful hands would become spotted, and his hair white. One day he was going to be old…and ugly…. And what would happen then? Then who would be there to care about him?         _

            Suddenly the room seemed to be pressing down on him, suffocating him. He had to get out of here. He had to go…go somewhere. Outside. For a drive. Anything to get him away from this place. Kanashii's hand came to rest on his arm. He flinched on instinct, backing away toward the door. The woman's face twisted in concern.

            "What's wrong?"

            "I…I have to go," he stammered, whirling toward the door and nearly tripping over his own two feet as he did so. 

            "Andy, where are you going?" 

            She was coming toward him. He couldn't let her. He had to go. He had to get out. He fumbled with the lock, trembling fingers making the simple job difficult. Finally he had the door open and was out in the hall.

            "Andy wait!" she called. He pulled the door shot behind him and fairly jogged down the immaculate halls of the resort, getting strange looks from the passersby. For once, he didn't care how they saw him. He had to be somewhere. He had to be _out. _

            As soon as he was on the road, behind the wheel of his beloved Jaguar, he relaxed. Where could he go now? A lump formed in his throat. Grown men weren't supposed to get hurt over some silly little words like that. But…but being alone was even more terrifying then making a fool of himself. He…he would have to do it. He would have to go back and tell her so. But not right now. Right now he just wanted to drive. To drive and drive and never stop. 

            Suddenly he wondered what Nick was doing. Just remembering the petite Frenchman made him smile. Nicolas Renee Papillion… Would he care if Andy were ugly? Maybe…maybe not. In either case, he wanted to see him. It had been so busy last night he hadn't had a chance to call him. Nick would be mad…but he would forgive once everything was explained. 

            A car horn jerked him out of his thoughts. Andy suddenly realized that a large pickup was barreling down the road right toward him. He jerked over in the other lane, skidding into someone's lawn and knocking over a row of plastic snowmen. The truck roared past, horn still blaring. Andy glared after it, pulling his car back onto the road. He'd only been in the wrong lane for two seconds! There was absolutely no excuse for that rude honking. He closed his eyes and gracefully pushed a strand of gorgeous brown hair over his shoulder. Americans… Honestly! 


	32. Accident of Fate

To Meet Again  
Part 33  
Accidents of Fate  
  
~~~ Knote: YAY! Update. ^.^  
  
Side Knote: Might want to go back and read up so you won't get confused. Sooo sorry for the uber long wait. ^^: ~~~  
  
Lao Wei had never liked riding motorcycles. It was more then a little frightening to think they were hurtling down a mountain road at insane speeds, riding nothing more then a glorified bike. If they should have an accident, the only thing keeping his head from smashing open like a watermelon on the road was a plastic helmet. A helmet which slipped over the ears and completely dashed any kind of conversation. Finally, when it was colder then all hells when the air was still, the wind blasting onto his unprotected face was more then a little unpleasant. Lao Wei was nervous, yes. A little bored, yes. So cold that he would be surprised if his nose didn't fall off, yes. But he was as happy as a child at New Years.  
  
His dream was coming true. Every mile of road that slid under the tires, the closer they got. Soon he would be free. Soon the government would no longer be able to tell him what he had to do. It was all coming true. It seemed almost like a dream. A dream which wouldn't have happened were it not for Joshua.  
He looked up at the redhead, or rather, the back of his head. Joshua was quite an interesting person. At first glance, he seemed to be a typical American. Loud...obnoxious... But there was a softer, caring side to him too. A side he showed only to his closest friends. Although he hadn't even known Joshua for very long, he knew he was right. He wasn't sure how he knew, but when one had the answer, why ask the question?  
Tiren would have liked him. Lao Wei closed his eyes as the old memory slipped like a sharp knife into his mind. He had lived in the village then. A poor, backwater farm community. Their only sign of the world outside was the small, one room school, set up by the missionaries. After school, he would run home to her, always with something to give her. Sometimes it was a picture...but usually it was nothing more then a shiny pebble he'd found on the side of the road. No matter what it was, though, she would always smile. Her soft, baby lips curling upward, eyes the color of teakwood, shining with her spirit. Even though she was his cousin, she had always felt like his little sister. There wasn't one in the village who hadn't loved her.  
Then, Aunt Wu had gotten pregnant and everything became tense. The Chinese government allowed people one child each. For reasons unknown to him, merely seven at the time, she had carried it to term. It had been a boy. A healthy, happy boy. The whole village had celebrated then... Tien had laughed and laughed...and the next day she was gone. He'd woken up, and she wasn't there. The adults offered no explanation, just gave glances to each other over his head. That day he made a detour instead of going straight to school...and found her. She had looked like she was sleeping, but there were ugly purple bruises on her small neck. Dead because the people of China could only have one child. Dead because one desperate woman had wanted a son.  
Lao Wei blinked as something warm began purring against his stomach. He leaned back as far as he dared and unzipped his jacket a little. A small gray head with big ears poked up.  
"Meow," it told him. Lao Wei smiled, the old pain fading, and scratched between the cat's ears. The cat purred, bumping his gray head against the skater's chest.  
"How did you get here, Tama?" he muttered.  
"Mrr," Tama responded. He chuckled; the cat always seemed to pop out of thin air just when he was needed, especially after... Lao Wei narrowed his eyes. After what? The memory had faded like a candle blown out. He shook his head. How odd. Oh well. However the cat had gotten here, Jason must be missing him by now. Lao Wei sighed. Returning the cat would mean going back. It was starting to get dark all ready and going back would mean saving Denver, for another day. Still, Jason needed this creature. Helping out a friend was well worth the trouble.  
With a resigned sigh, he tapped Joshua on the shoulder. When the man looked at him in the rearview mirror, Lao Wei gestured for him to pull over. The redhead nodded. Soon he pulled into an overlook which peered out onto masses of mountains stretching off into the distance. Joshua got off, took off his helmet.  
"Ugh, I hate long distance riding," the American said, stretching his arms over his head. Lao Wei shifted so he was no longer straddling the bike and took off his helmet. Stopping had definitely been one of the highlights of this trip.  
"So, what's up, Chiri? Nature call or did ya just need a break?" Joshua asked, running a comb through his bright red hair. Lao Wei held up the grey cat.  
"Jason will be wanting this back," he said.  
"Meow!" the cat seemed to agree, a little heart popping up over its head and vanishing like the mist a second later. Josuha's eyes narrowed. With a quick movement, he grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck and hefted him up to eye level.  
"You just like to cause trouble, don't you, Tama?"  
The cat sweatdropped and made a little peace sign with its paw. Joshua sweatdropped as well.  
"Don't gimme that sheepish look! We're never gonna get to Taikyoku if we gotta-"  
"Taikyoku?" Lao Wei repeated to himself. That name... That name meant something... Something far away... An image started to blur to life in his mind's eye. There was an old woman... An old woman and lots of hyperactive children...  
"Shit," Joshua said, scattering his thoughts. Lao Wei blinked up at him. The cat had perched on his shoulder, but the redhead didn't even seem to notice. Instead, he was giving Lao Wei the most agonized look.  
"I'm sayin' shit again, aren't I?" he continued. "I don't even know why the crap I'm sayin' it. I dunno...maybe I'm goin' crazy."  
"From the way your companions talk, you are insane." Lao Wei said with a bright smile. Joshua grinned, flashing his fangs.  
"Like you're one to talk." He started speaking in a high-pitched voice. "Oh I'm just a wondering monk, no da. I like to speak like I just ate helium, na no da." Lao Wei blinked. What in the world was that man talking about? Joshua stared at him, a large sweatdrop forming on his head. Lao Wei offered a sympathetic smile and sweatdropped as well. There was obviously some sort of joke he had completely missed. Perhaps it was an American thing.  
"Ya know what? Forget it. Just forget I said anythin'." He started to put his helmet back on, then glanced at the cat on his shoulder. "Ahhh! Shit, cat! Get the hell off! You're gettin' hair all over my jacket!"  
Tama sailed gracefully through the air and landed with a perfect plop right on top of Lao Wei's head. He smiled, removed the cat from his hair and zipped him back up in his jacket.  
"Are we going to return him then?"  
"Yeah... We can always go to Taikyoku tomorrow."  
"You mean Denver," Lao Wei said helpfully. Joshua stared at him, then muttered something and shoved his helmet back on. Soon, they were back in the icy cold wind, but this time, going in the opposite direction. Lao Wei was a little nervous about being so close to the edge. If they had an accident, the only thing keeping them from certain death was a low, metal rail. Suzaku help them if that ever happened.  
Lao Wei blinked at the new thought. Suzaku... Well that was archaic. Why in the world did he want to depend on an old god? A god that the ancestors of his ancestors worshipped? Strange yet familiar things kept popping into his mind. Some of the things that Joshua said were like that too. Chiriko... Chichiri...Taikyoku... Names and places he knew he should remember. Something was happening. Like...a puzzle coming together...and he was just one piece. Suddenly there was the growling sound, like a tired old bear trying to make it up a steep hill. Lao Wei looked up. Just up ahead was a curve. A beat up green station wagon peeked around it. Lao Wei wanted to laugh. That must be Jason! How ironic! Suddenly a sleek gold car shot around it and began zooming straight toward them. Lao Wei's heart stopped.  
Everything seemed to happen blindingly fast. The gold car slammed on its breaks and began sliding to the side. Joshua jerked the motorcycle away and the low metal guardrail came up to meet them. There was a horrific jerk and suddenly they were airborne. The motorcycle fell away underneath them. Joshua's arms were pinwheeling frantically, but there was nothing to grab onto. Nothing but empty air and the ground was rushing at them at blinding speed. Lao Wei snatched the back of Joshua's coat out of instinct. He couldn't let him die! He couldn't let himself die! Lao Wei closed his eyes and screamed, pulling back as hard as he could. Heat flooded through his body and for just a moment, he thought he was safe. Then blinding pain slammed through his head and he knew no more. ~~~  
  
AHHH! Don't worry! I'll update soon! Don't kill me! Don't kill me! *HIDES* 


	33. Nowhere to Run

**To Meet Again**

**Part: 34**

**Nowhere to Run**

**~~~**

**Knote****: This starts out a little before the incident. ^^: In other words, when this part begins, the accident has not yet happened. It's just a lot easier to do this way. **

**Oh yes! I drew a picture of Jason. ^^ As I can't seem to post a link w/out it messing up, e-mail me if you want to see. -_-;**

**~~~**

            Jason gripped the steering wheel and glared at the road ahead. Why did she have to be there? Why did she have to show up? All he wanted was to go into the mountains and be alone with his misery. Being alone was better then losing people he cared for, which he would as soon as he accepted his 'destiny', as Cassandra called it. Just thinking her name made all the anger flood out of him. He sighed and leaned back.  She had always been like this. Always insisting on doing for others before herself.  There had been many times when he'd had to stop her from running herself into the ground. He remembered… No. Jason shook his head. He _didn't _remember. He _couldn't _remember. It didn't happen. The only time he'd ever met her before this had been in the third-grade…and she certainly hadn't been overworked then. 

            With another heavy sigh, he turned on the radio to drown out his thoughts. Celine Dion crooned out of the speakers, singing about lost loves. With a quiet scowl, he turned the station and got Tim McGraw doing much the same thing. He flipped again…and again. 

            "Life begins with love…"

            "And she left me…"

            "Never get away for you…" 

            Jason gritted his teeth and jammed the scan button. There had to be one damned radio station on the planet that wasn't playing love songs. Maybe the news network! He flipped around until he found it, then settled back for some nice, depressing news. 

            "…shocking new developments in the case of the missing figure skater. That's coming up at six. But right now…how did you spend your Valentines Day? Sixty percent of the residents in Star County said-" 

            "Shut up!" Jason snapped, twisting the radio off. The knob came off in his hand. He glared at it and tossed it into the backseat. His head began to twinge again, reminiscent of the headache he'd had when he'd woken up. First that, then Tom disappearing, Cassandra showing up…and now this.  This day couldn't possibly get any worse. 

            He stopped at a stoplight. While he waited for the red to turn, he tried to think of where to go. Left was Basara, right was Helsing and straight ahead was Overmountain Pass. That lead, eventually, into Denver… but there were a lot of back roads that came off of it. Lonely back roads that led into mountains where, sometimes, not even the best technology could find people. It was funny, though. He couldn't remember the road being this close. He thought it was further then that… Oh well.

             The light turned green and eased on the gas. As he started on the road to the pass, another car screeched around the turn and started up after him. Jason whistled appreciatively. He wasn't much into cars, but even he knew the value of this one. A gold jaguar.

            Not a moment later, he began wishing the car had never pulled up behind him. Whatever idiot was behind the wheel, liked staying right up against his bumper. He glared at the driver through the rearview mirror. All he saw of the person, was a shoulder. Apparently, the man was trying to get something off the floor while driving. Jason sweatdropped and picked up his speed. That was just frightening. 

            Jason gulped as a steep, curved hill sloped up in front of him. Uh-oh. His station wagon didn't even like gentle hills…and with a lunatic behind him… Jason squeezed the wheel between his hands and started up. The car immediately began to rattle in protest. He gritted his teeth and prayed to whatever gods were listening that his car didn't stall. That jag would knock him into next week if he stopped suddenly. Almost there… Just a few more feet. There was the sound of a motorcycle coming, and he saw it just as he rounded the curve. Suddenly the jaguar swerved into the opposite lane and gunned it, zooming right toward the motorcycle. Jason's heart stopped. What the crap was they guy doing?!  The jaguar slammed on its breaks just as the motorcycle swerved to avoid it. The out of control bike punched through the guard rail and both it and its passengers were sent flying.

            Jason slammed on his own brakes and was out of the car before he even thought about it. All he could do was stare at the empty air, mind numbed. Suddenly there was a strange sort of pop. He glanced at the source of the sound and his jaw fell to his shins. There was a helmet floating in the air.  Just floating about five feet off the ground, rotating gently. Suddenly, the helmet shook violently and two men fell out, crashing onto the hard blacktop. The one part of his mind that wasn't in utter shock informed him that one of the men was Lao Wei. That meant that the other must be Joshua. The jaguar's door opened and the helmet fell to the ground like a stone, narrowly missing the Chinese man's head. 

            "Kami-sama!" said a smooth, Japanese voice that could belong to no other then Andy Wong. Dear god, what was this? A convention?  He turned his eyes to the singer, painfully aware that his jaw was still hanging like yesterday's laundry. Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to find the muscles to move it. The singer didn't even seem to notice. His face was pale and he was clutching his chest as if it pained him.

            "Kami-sama… Mimasen… Hojini sturesu ga ippai desu." He ran a trembling hand through his hair and met Jason's eyes. "Anata! Karera ga chiryo dekiru ka?  Hakasu ne?"  Jason stared, uncomprehendingly. 

            "Uh?" he managed. Any translation was interrupted by a loud four letter word coming from the man that must have been Joshua. Jason turned his gaze back on the man who was now sitting up and taking off his helmet. Joshua's back was turned to him and he didn't even notice he had company.

            "Shit, I'm gonna kill whatever idiot did that. He could have broken both our #&*$in' necks!" He angrily threw his helmet at the guard rail. "He's damned lucky that you have good timing, Chiri, or I woulda come back and haunted his ass!" The blue haired man didn't move. His breathing was shallow and his face was pale. Judging by the angle of his arm, it was broken in at least two places. Jason stepped forward unconsciously, ready to help, but immediately stopped himself. What was he thinking? He couldn't help even if he wanted to. For one thing, he hadn't been to medical school in over ten years. He was hardly in any position to help anyone. 

            "Gomen na-"Andy started, but Joshua again interrupted him.

            "Chiri?" The redhead turned around to look at his friend. "Chichiri?" He gently touched Lao Wei's shoulder and shook it. Jason winced, moving someone with a possible neck trauma was not a good idea.  Joshua's eyes widened as the skater remained unconscious. "Shit, no! Don't #&*$in' do this to me again, damnit! You left me alone the last time! Don't #&*$ing do it to me again!" Joshua grabbed Lao Wei's shoulders and shook him, hard. "Chichiri!" 

            "Stop!" Jason said before he thought about it.  Joshua's head snapped up and relief flooded his face.

            "You're here! Heal him! He ain't dead yet. You gotta heal him!" 

            Heal him? What did the man expect him to do? Wave a magic wand and make it all better? He hadn't even gotten through medical school! Besides… It…it wasn't really his problem. As much as he would like to help, he would rather not get involved. Not with anyone… Jason took a step back, holding up his hands.

            "I…I'm not a doctor," he said, hating the words even as they came out of his mouth. Joshua's eyes narrowed to mere slits. Before Jason could blink, the redhead was in front of him, grabbing his collar and pulling him down.

            "Don't you ever #&*$ing say that again! That's bullshit and you know it!" the shorter man yelled. Jason scowled, suddenly angry. What, was he taking classes from Cassandra or something? He _refused_ to get trapped! 

            "I'm not!" he snarled, uselessly trying to push the other man away. "Just leave me the alone. You don't know anything!" 

            "I know yer one hell of a selfish bastard!"

            "You have no right to say that!"

            "Like shit I don't! Just because you're depressed about somethin' doesn't mean ya can shut everyone else out! You're gonna be a loser for the rest of your life if ya keep it up and running away ain't gonna change shit! Ya gotta stop pulling this crap, Mitsukake! He's gonna die if you don't help!" Tears welled up in Joshua's amber eyes. "Ya can't let him die…" 

            "I'm not Mitsukake," Jason muttered, looking away. A part of him was screaming at him, cursing him out, wanting him to help. Jason clenched his left hand into a fist. He would lose everything if he did that. Everything. He couldn't give in like he did the last time. A gentle hand rested on his shoulder and he looked up at Andy. The man still looked as if he was going to have a heart attack.

            "Please," he said, golden eyes desperate. "I don't know you…but I'm sure you must have some medical training…" The singer removed his hand and bowed his head. "If…if he died because of me… At least look at him." 

            Jason sighed heavily. This was just like last time... Except he was pretty sure that Nick had been there, too. He shook his head of the inane thought and glanced at the prone figure lying on the road. Well… looking at him wouldn't be so bad. Jason pushed the redhead away easily and knelt beside Lao Wei.  His arm was broken…. There didn't seem to be any neck or spinal injuries. But he did have a mild concussion. 

            "Is…is he dyin'?" Joshua's voice was rough with suppressed emotion and Jason suddenly felt bad for not looking Lao Wei over sooner.  He sat back and looked at the two concerned men.

            "Hardly… He's not in the best of shape, but he'll live. The fall dazed him, but he should be waking up any time now."

            Andy sighed with relief. 

            "We are fortunate he is what he is. Otherwise, neither of you would have survived."

            "What is he?" Joshua asked, looking at him. "I know what yer talkin' about…but I don't know the name for it…"  Andy blinked at him and shook his head.

            "I…do not remember." The two stared at each other for a moment longer. Suddenly, something seemed to click. 

            "Joshua-kun?" Andy said.

            "Shit, is that you, Wong?" There was another staring match. Jason sweatdropped. Was it just him, or did everyone seem to know everyone around here? 

            "Joshua-kun! It's-" Andy started.

            "You damned  #&*$ing asshole!! Who the  #&*$ taught ya how to drive, ya half-breed lunatic?!" Joshua bellowed. Andy's eyes narrowed.

            "You did, baka yarou. And I told you long ago to leave my mixed ancestry out of it!"

            "That was before you nearly ran us over, ya jerk! And I woulda thought you would've practiced since high school! How the crap did you get your license?!"

             "You're required to have a license? I thought the rich and famous didn't need one…" Andy said with a startled blink. Joshua fell over. Jason's sweatdrop grew a bit larger.  Oy… Joshua began to yell again, but Jason was distracted as he noticed his patient's eyes had fluttered open. 

            "How are you feeling?" he asked. Lao Wei winced and reached up with his freehand to touch his forehead.

            "My head is hurting."  He started to sit up, but Jason gently held him down.

            "Don't try to move…. We still need to make a splint for your arm. Andy probably has a cell phone so we can call the hospital…" He paused as Lao Wei suddenly grabbed his arm.

            "No. No hospital. My thank you, but I do not need one."

            "I think you do." 

            "No! They might find me. I must not let them find me. Please…" 

            Jason raised an eyebrow. Apparently, he wasn't the only one running from something. Well, hospital or no, as soon as the splint was made, he was out of here. This would be the absolute last time he had any contact with people. Nothing could stop him from going… 

            Lao Wei rolled his head to the side, toward Jason and suddenly his eyes widened. Jason immediately glanced over him. Was there an injury he somehow missed?  

            "Is that your vehicle?" the Chinese man asked. Jason sweatdropped. Oh.

            "Does it really look that bad?"

            "It does not look bad, but perhaps you should catch it…"

            Jason blinked. Catch it? Oh bloody- He'd forgot to set the parking break! He jumped up and spun around so fast he almost gave himself whiplash. The beaten up station wagon was rolling backwards, picking up speed as it headed for the hole in the guard rail. Ohhh crap! Ohcrap, ohcrap, ohcrap! Jason pelted after it. The car wooshed off the edge, miraculously taking some of the guardrail with it, and disappeared from sight. Jason scrambled to the broken guardrail and stared down with wide eyes as the car bounced down the cliff, hit the bottom, and burst into flames. Suddenly there was a warm weight on one shoulder and a hand rested casually on his other shoulder.

            "Well that #&*$in' sucks," said the owner of the hand.

            "Merow," the weight on his other shoulder agreed. 

            "It is indeed unfortunate," said Andy, just behind him. "However, I would be willing to drive you…"

            "You ain't drivin' no one anywhere," Joshua snapped. "Mits here is drivin' us to the hospital."

            "Lao Wei doesn't want to go to the hospital," Jason said absently, eyes still fixed on the burning pile of rubble that used to be his car.

            "My house, then. Alissa and her nurse friend…Shouka or whatever, can look over him."

            "Shouka?" Jason asked with a blink, trying to process this new startling bit of information while his brain threatened to go into shock. 

            "Er…Casser or whatever the hell her name is. Hell, you know, you date her." 

            "Why should he drive? It is my car," Andy said.

            "Yeah, and I'd like to get there in one piece!" 

            "Are you insinuating that I have bad driving?"

            "Insinuatin' my ass! I'm downright tellin' ya!"

            Jason listened to them argue without really hearing it. There was nothing else he could do. Somehow he'd been caught up in the whole mess he'd been trying to avoid. As he gazed down at his smouldering vehicle, he couldn't help but wonder if the gods were laughing at him…. Suddenly a thought snapped every last synapse for logical thinking that he had. How in the heck had he managed to catch up with Joshua and Lao Wei? He'd left almost an hour behind them. It was as if the road itself had shifted. 

            "Hey, Mits, you okay?" Joshua asked. "You look pale."

            "Fine…" Jason said, then laughed. "Let's see, I've just seen a flying helmet and traveled at mach three without even knowing it. I'm perfectly _wonderful_." 

            "He's looosin' it," Joshua said, taking a step back.

            "Perhaps, you should sit down," Andy suggested. Jason plopped right where he was and stared, unseeing, at the road.  The gods, were definitely, laughing at him. 


	34. Distant Memories

To Meet Again:   
Part: 35  
Distant Memories

**Author's Knote: Yes, okay, don't hate me. : But I finally decided to give up the #($, because, as someone pointed out, it's kinda unprofessional and it's not like you don't know what the word is. Soo, I've just decided to spell it out. ; Sorry if it offends…; So…yeah…I think at this point a warning for Josh language might be kinda…moot.**  
**Oh, by the way... I'll post the links to the pics next chapter! And as an added note, if you leave something to the side for a long time, read it thoroughly before you pick it up again or you run the risk of repeating yourself. sweatdrop I'm a good writer! Really! **

Joshua leaned his head against the cool car window, gazing outside without really seeing. He was still more then a little rattled at being hurled over a cliff. Hell, his hands were still shaking and that had been over twenty minutes ago. He was going to have nightmares for _weeks. _It was funny though, when he was falling, he could remember being more annoyed the afraid. He didn't start being afraid until he woke up and found Lao unconscious.

He glanced up at the blue-haired young man in the front seat. Joshua _knew _his name was Lao, just as he knew Jason wasn't Mitsukake and there was no place called Taikyoku. The words just seemed to spill out of his mouth as if they were acting independently of the rest of his mind. He didn't know what was more frightening, the fact that they came up out of nowhere, or the fact they were so familiar. Joshua shook his head. Augh, things were stressful enough right now. If he dwelled on it too much, he really would go crazy. To keep his mind off of it, he turned his attention to Wong.

Andy sat beside him; arms folded tightly, head down, a curtain of brown hair shielding his face. His being here was the strangest thing of all. Joshua didn't think he'd ever see the cocky bastard again after high school. He smiled as old memories flooded him. Sharing a room with Andy had been pure hell, not to mention sharing a bathroom. The man shed more then his ma's cats. There wasn't a day that they hadn't argued about something or the other. Still, he couldn't help liking Andy. Outside of his family, he'd never had a better friend.

"You gonna hide all day or what?" Joshua asked, tugging at the hank of hair that separated the Japanese man from the rest of the world. Andy turned his head to glare at him.

"Leave me alone." His gold eyes immediately went soft. "My stupidity has caused so much pain and suffering…" He hunched over, bowing his head. "Just leave me alone," he whispered. Joshua blinked the mist from his eyes. Did he have to sound so damned heartbroken?

"Suffering? Who's suffering? I ain't. Despite having no leg room because someone has to put their seat all the way back," Joshua said. Jason looked back at him in the rearview mirror.

"I'm so sorry," he said, dryly. "Would you prefer I drive with my knees, your highness?"

Joshua grinned. "Now that you mention it…"

Jason gave him a look, but didn't comment.

"You may have come away unscathed," Andy said. "But your friend… ah…" He looked up, forehead creasing. "I'm sorry. I don't believe I caught your name."

"Lao Wei Jun," Lao said with a smile. "And do not be worried. This is hardly my first broken appendix."  
"Appendage," Jason corrected.

"That is what I meant, yes."

"Still, I may have killed you both and…" Andy went on. Joshua rolled his eyes. Wong was the only person he knew who could prove his guilt better then his innocence. There was only one way to shut him up. Joshua lifted his hand and smacked his friend in the back of the head. Andy's sudden glare nearly pinned him to the window.

"Baka! What did you do _that_ for?"

"'Cause your bein' a moron."

"It _was _my fault!" he insisted. Joshua grinned inwardly. His plan was working.

Now to get Wong with the bait the man could not refuse.

"Yeah, no shit; but stop whining about it. Your voice is getting on my nerves."

Andy's eyes narrowed, Joshua tensed automatically, half expecting laser beams to come shooting out.

"I'll have you know that people _pay _to hear my voice." Andy's voice was soft but there was an edge to it that could cut steel. Still, Joshua had gone too far to just back out now. After taking a deep, mental breath, the redhead went for broke.

"That's not what they said at the tenth grade talent show."

Graceful hands curled into claws as Andy leaned toward him. Although he did nothing, the silence spoke volumes of threat. Joshua scooted closer to the window. Generally, he wasn't afraid of his friend's threats. But that talent show apparently still stuck like a claymore in Andy's side.

"Jason-san, please stop the car," the singer said, voice breaking the silence like the sound of a gun cocking. "I don't want to get blood on the upholstery."   
"Is that really necessary?" Jason asked, looking at them in the rearview mirror.

"_Quite _necessary."

As the car slowed, Joshua fumbled to get off the seatbelt and tried to stop the grin that was threatening to eat his face alive. Oh shit. He was so dead. When Jason finally pulled into an overlook and stopped, Andy sat glaring at him, simply for drama's sake. Even though he was digging his own grave, there was just one more thing that he could not resist. Joshua slowly reached forward and pressed an index finger against Andy's nose.  
"Beeep."

Andy froze. Lao laughed…and Joshua waited just a fraction of a second after murder entered his friend's gaze before whooping and diving out of the car. Andy scrambled out not a second later and Joshua ducked as a snowball whistled over his head at supersonic speed.

"You promised you would never bring that up again!" Andy said, grabbing another handful of snow. Joshua laughed and danced back from the badly made ball.

"I said maybe," he said, grinning devilishly and tossing back a snowball of his own. "Ya always did have a faulty memory."  
"Bakaaa," he growled. "I'm going to make you regret that you even opened your mouth." Joshua didn't doubt his words as another snowball made a beeline for his head. But at least a mad Andy wasn't a depressed Andy. On the other hand, a homicidal maniac wasn't going to get them back home any faster and Chi-- _Lao _needed looking after. The only way to break Andy from his mood, though, was to do something incredibly stupid. A snowball whacked his arm, stinging like all hell, but that wouldn't be enough. Joshua gamely tossed a few snowballs back while he tried to think. There wasn't much to work with, here. In this bare overlook about the only thing mildly comical he could do was fall over the guard rail and he seriously didn't need to do that again today.

Andy was beginning to run out of steam. If Joshua didn't do something quick, the man would just give up and fall to brooding all day. Ahhh crap. If Nuriko were here, he could have pounded him into the blacktop, which would have at least made Andy laugh. Wait a minute- Nuriko? Murky, half-formed images swirled before his eyes.

_"So let's leave them both alone," Andy had said. _

_ "Wha-?!" Joshua had blurted, utterly confused. "But I figured **you **and Miaka were goin' together!" Then he understood. "Oh, I get it, a love trian-" And then he'd stopped, because someone with flashing brown eyes and a swirling purple braid was standing in front of him, fist pulled back. _

Suddenly something cold slammed into his face. Joshua stumbled back, misjudged and sat down hard. Almost frantically, he scraped the snow from his face. Shit! _Shit! _What the _hell _had _that _been?! It was one thing to start randomly spouting names…but that was something else. There was a quiet laugh and a shadow fell over him. Joshua looked up to see Andy, smiling slightly and holding out a hand to him.

"I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to hit you that hard."

Joshua stared up at him, his friend suddenly seeming like someone else. A frown creased Andy's face.

"Joshua-kun, are you all right?"

_Ah damnit, snap out of it Josh, _he told himself. _He's gonna get all damned upset again. Lighten the mood, lighten the mood. _The redhead stumbled to his feet, looked at the snow he had scraped off his face, which was now beginning to melt in his hand, grinned and whapped it right in the middle of Andy's forehead.

"Gotcha."

Andy stared at him for a moment, then surprisingly laughed. Joshua grinned. Yes! Was he good or was he damned _good?_

"It really is wonderful to see you again, Joshua-kun." His friendly smile abruptly turned evil. "But if you mention the talent show again, I'll maim you past any point of recognition."

"Well-" he was about to say, next time don't force us off a damned cliff, but managed to insert his foot in his mouth beforehand. That would have been a really dumb mistake.

"Well?" Andy asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well, I'll think about it," he said, flashing his fangs. The singer deadpanned and whacked him in the back of the head.

"After school special much?" Mitsukake said dryly as soon as they were back in the car.

"Ahh shaddup and drive," he muttered, blushing slightly. Chichiri- _Lao_, Joshua reminded himself forcefully- turned to look at him, smiling slightly.

"It seems you both are great friends."

Joshua glared at him defensively. What the crap? Why was everyone acting like they had a damn sappy moment? Andy, annoyingly enough, seemed to read his mind.

"Joshua-kun is full of touching moments. You should watch Casablanca with him." Oooh, that rat-ass bastard.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

"That or Romeo and Juliet," Andy said, as if he hadn't even spoken. "Just give him a sad movie and a box full of tissues-"

"That's it, Mutt-boy, I'm gonna kill ya," he snarled, making a big show of trying to unbuckle his seat belt.

"I think I've told you many times not to call me that."

"Mutt-boooy," Joshua sang, sticking out his tongue.

"Hey, you two. Cut it out," Mitsukake said. "Or I'll stop this car right now and make you walk home."

"Ha!" Joshua said, but settled back anyway. He probably would too. For a healer he had one hell of a sadistic streak. There was silence for a while as the car hummed down the road. Joshua felt a little better actually, sure he was still a little pissed at being called a total sap when he _wasn't… _but Andy had been cheered up and Lao didn't seem to mind that he'd been banged up. Mitsukake seemed a little out of it though. But then, Mitsukake always seemed a little out of it. Of course if he'd had to kill his old girlfriend because she was infected by a demon, he'd be pretty traumatized too.

"So, Joshua-kun, how is Alissa? Are you two still…?"

The redhead winced inwardly, damn wonderful sense of timing that man had.

"No we ain't still. We haven't been since high school." _Since the senior prom anyway,_ his mind informed him. Joshua firmly pushed the memory away. It was bad enough with the memories he _didn't _understand. Fortunately, Wong seemed to realize this and didn't press further. Instead the singer cleared his throat.

"Anyway, are you feeling all right?" he asked, directing his comment at Lao. "Gomen, again. You're name is Lao Wei, though, correct? Where are you from?"

"China."  
  
"Oh really? I've sung in Beijing quite a few times."

They continued to talk about the beauty of China and the places they'd been and blah blah blah. Joshua was a little surprised at how open Andy was being. Usually the man was tense and awkward when meeting new people. Then again, Lao had never struck Joshua as someone new. He was kinda, someone old with a new face. A very new face, now that he thought about it. Sure the hair was the same, and other then the fact that both eyes were open, they were the same too, but he was damned young. Chiri looked barely looked drinking age.

"How old are you anyway?" Joshua asked. The skater blinked, clearly a little startled.

"I turned twenty last two months ago."

"Well shit. How the hell did _you _get younger then everyone?"

There was dead silence in the car as everyone stared at him. Joshua folded his arms and hunched lower in his seat. Okay. Shutting up. Sooo shutting up. Why did he keep saying shit like that? There was nothing to blame it on either. Damnit. He seriously needed to see a shrink, or something. This was driving him nuts. Suddenly his cell phone rang, the digital tune he'd chosen for Kevin seeming to fill the whole car. Joshua went red and suddenly wished the seat would eat him. He glared at his friend, mentally daring him to say it.

"Power Rangers?" Andy asked with a laugh.

"It was a joke, damnit," he muttered, reaching into his jacket pocket for the phone. What the hell was Kevin doing calling him? Kevin _never _called him. There were times he doubted his cousin even knew what a cell phone _was. _He opened the phone, pressed talk and was greeted with:

"'Sup, man? You never call me. Yeah, yeah, I know, but this is _important_. Well don't just sit dere babblin' to yourself, tell me already. I'm gettin' to it, man! Where ya at?"

Joshua paused for a moment, trying to sort it out.

"Wait a minute, was that last line yours or mine?" he asked.

"This ain't the time, man. You're in serious shit. Where are ya?" Kevin sounded serious. Again, Joshua paused before answering. Nah, it was too much to explain the whole thing.

"It's complicated. Just spill it."

"Fine. Just listen to this…" There were a few minutes of silence and suddenly the music that sounded like the start of the news broadcast.

"Wintering your pets and Olympic highlights coming up later in the hour, but for our headline story, we go to Chuck. Chuck?"

"Thank you, Marie. Well, it's been a day and Olympic skater Lao Wei Jun is still missing, police continue the search and startling new facts have been revealed. The coach of the Chinese Olympic team stated this morning that Lao Wei was convicted of brutally murdering his team-mate Jei Laing." Joshua nearly dropped the phone. "The coach is quoted as saying that Lao Wei is unstable and, if cornered, will resort to any means possible. If anyone has any information regarding the skater or his whereabouts, call the police department at the numbers below."

Joshua looked up at Lao Wei who had gone back to talking with Andy. Looking at his innocent, unscarred face it was hard to imagine him killing anyone.

"See?" Kevin's sudden voice made him start slightly. "I nearly had a heart attack when I heard it. You gotta get him to th' PD and quick!"

"Did…did you tell anyone?"

"Not yet. Do ya want me to?"

"N…no. I'll take care of it."

"Yeah, well you be careful, man. It's always the innocent lookin' ones who are most likely to stab ya in th' back."

Joshua nodded slowly and flipped the phone shut. Part of him still didn't want to believe it, but another side of him knew better. As if aware of his thoughts, Lao glanced at him, but instead of fear, the young man's face became concerned.

"Are you ill, Joshua? You are very white."

"Getting carsick?" Mitsukake asked, before he could even think up an answer.

"Don't you dare throw up on my seats," Andy put in. Joshua couldn't even think enough to be insulted.

"Was the message bad?" Lao asked, gesturing to the phone. Thoughts whirred through his head as he stared blankly at the phone's silver casing. Should he just confront Lao about it? Or maybe he could call the police. No. He clenched his hand around the cell phone. No. It wasn't right. He couldn't betray a friend. Even if…even if Lao _had _done it. There had to be a reason. He couldn't just hand him over.

Still, as he looked into Lao's familiar brown eyes, he couldn't help but wonder if the man had had to make the same mistake again.


	35. Butterfly Reborn

**To Meet Again:  
Part 36  
Butterfly Reborn**

**--- **  
Author's Knotes: Yay! Updated! Thanks to a recent review I got.

This one's for you alithealligator! And there will be more to come. Not sure how often but I'll do my best. Also! Check out the website that's in my profile.  
---

"Hup!" Keisuke cried, tossing his young squealing nephew up in the air, and expertly catching him. Hikari laughed, clapping his pudgy little mittened hands.

"Mata! Mata, ojichan!" the boy cried, tugging at the blond's jacket. Nick wasn't exactly sure what he had just said, but from his limited knowledge of children it was probably something like 'one more time'. They had left the Starlight Café after having emptied their refrigerators. Some having helped more then others. Nick chuckled to himself and cast a fond eye on the short Japanese woman at his side. Even with a belly full of twins, he couldn't help but wonder where she found room for it all. At the moment they were standing just outside the café, waiting for a grumbling Taka to pay the bill. Miaka was watching her son, an uncharacteristic frown pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"Niichan… I think that's enough," she said. Her exuberant brother gave her a sunny smile.

"Don't worry, Miaka-chan. I won't drop him."

She didn't look entirely convinced.

"You used to drop me all the time."

Keisuke sweatdropped. "I was _four._" His face split into an evil grin. "And anyway it was okay because you just bounced." Miaka's eyes narrowed and, whether by chance or on purpose, Keisuke shifted the toddler to form a barrier between himself and his annoyed sibling. Nick laughed and plopped a hand on the woman's head.

"Poor Miaka. Would you like me to hold Hikari so you can beat the feathers out of your brother?"

"I'd rather you do it," she said, smiling up at him. Keisuke paled a few shades. This sudden reminder of his rather bizarre strength made Nick a little uncomfortable, but he tried his best to hide it.

"I'm sorry, _cherie,_ I don't get involved in family matters."

"Ohhh all right," Miaka said with a pout. She plucked her son from her brother's arms and handed him to Nick, who tucked him close. Then, balling up her sharp little fist jammed it between the blond's ribs.

"Didn't hurt," Keisuke wheezed, face totally belying his words. Nick chuckled and Hikari joined him.

"You find it funny too, mm?" he asked the boy. Hikari just giggled again, violet eyes sparkling. At the moment, holding Hikari was like snuggling a brightly colored cloud. The boy was wearing a poofy red jacket, which hid about three sweaters, matching poofy snow pants, also thoroughly layered underneath and clonking snow boots which seemed about three sizes too big for him even though Miaka had stated it was a perfect fit. Topping it all was a crimson snow hat with a fuzzy red pom-pom on top that had a small plastic beak, teeny black eyes and bore a vague resemblance to a bird.

"Do you like my chibi-chicken wear?" Miaka asked, rubbing her son's head affectionately. Nick laughed.

"Chibi-chicken wear?"

"Mm-hm! It's a children's line I want to add to Taka thinks it's a good idea. Suzaku's a phoenix I know, but chibi-chicken sounds much cuter."

"Who made this?" Nick asked, feeling a funny little glimmer at the name Suzaku but trying his best to ignore it.

"Who made what?" Taka asked. Nick turned to look at him, unable to hide the amused smile at the disgruntled look on the man's face. Nick had been more then willing to pick up the tab, but Miaka had _insisted _Taka treat them all. Or, more accurately, had asked and when he'd tried to get out of it had batted big puppy dog eyes at him until he'd caved. Juilo hadn't been able to resist 'the look' either. Nick forcibly stopped that train of thought. It was too good a day to be ruined by rotten memories.

"Hikari's hat," Maika said, bringing Nick gratefully back to the conversation. "I made it all by myself."

"Oh?" Nick asked, impressed. She hadn't done a bad job of it.

"Mm," Taka said, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Apparently, what she lacks in cooking skills she makes up for in knitting."

"You _like _my cooking," she said, twisting to look up at him.

"I like it better then mine, _aijin_," he said, softly, dropping a kiss on her upturned mouth. There was a soft, sweet moment where they simply gazed at each other and Nick knew that in their world, right now, he didn't exist.

"Taka could burn water," Keisuke interjected, shattering the mood like a brick through a window. Nick shot him a mild glare which was nothing compared to the look Taka gave him.

"And there are _how _many Chinese Take-Away numbers on your speed dial?" the man asked.

"Just one! And that's only because of-" Keisuke's mouth suddenly snapped shut as if he'd said something he hadn't meant to. Red blossomed on his cheeks. Nick grinned. How interesting. Miaka seemed to be following his line of thought to the letter.

"Oh, Keisuke! Who is she?" the woman squealed, barreling over to her brother like a miniature rocket and glomming onto his arm. "Is she cute? Does she know you like her? Are you two dating? What's her name?"

"Uh…well…th…that is…" Keisuke stuttered, the red slowly spreading down his face. "It's ah…kinda…one sided…and I only like… her…because ah…she's cute." Nick's intuition snapped to attention. Was it just him, or was there a bit too long a pause between like and her? If there was, Miaka didn't seem to notice.

"Well you can at least tell us what she looks like," the woman said. "Maybe we can go see her. We might even be able to hook you two up." Keisuke laughed nervously, blush becoming lost in the folds of his turtleneck.

"That's…that's okay, really. I'm not…I'm too busy to get involved with someone."

_Nice save, _Nick thought, thoroughly enjoying himself.

"So," Taka said, breaking the short silence that had befallen them. "What are we going to do now? May I suggest a nice _free _evening back at the hotel?"

"Well, if you're interested, there's this hobby shop down the road that has a spectacular layout," Keisuke said.

"Oh really? What gauge?" Taka asked, eyes lighting.

"O. Fabulous detail, too. I know the guy that set it up."

"Pardon, what are we talking about now?" Nick asked a little sheepishly. Miaka gave a sigh of one long suffering and rolled her eyes.

"Trains…" she said in the tone some would say 'spinach' or 'two hour lecture'.

"Taiiiin!" Hikari yelled, coming to sudden, startling life at Nick's side. "Tain! Tain! Tain!" The two-year-old began bouncing up and down excitedly. Taka smiled in a goo inducing way and took the warm little bundle from Nick's arms.

"See? _He _thinks they're fun," Taka said, swinging the child around so that he giggled. Miaka shot her husband with a slightly annoyed look, then turned her attention back to her brother.

"Keiiisukeee," she whined plaintively. "What about Tasuki? Weren't we going to go see him?"

"We can't today. I don't have Josh-er-Tasuki's new number and Alissa told me if I called the main line again she'd murder me. But we're eating dinner with Kuran and Antonio tonight so we can ask them then."

"How is Kuran doing? Still bossy?" Taka asked fondly. Keisuke laughed.

"As if she'd ever change. You know, yesterday…"

Nick folded his arms and leaned against the wall, letting their conversation drift away from him. The sky was a soft blue and thankfully free of snow clouds. A flicker of movement at the end of the street caught his eye. There was nothing there. It was as if someone had been watching them, then ducked around the corner. The others seemed too involved in their conversation to miss him much. So, curiosity piqued, Nick went to investigate. Just as he turned the corner, snow that had been rotting in the gutter for about a day and a half was smeared roughly across his face. The utter shock of it lasted only a second and then annoyance settled like a knot in his stomach. The first thing he saw upon scraping the muck from his face was the wolf that ate the Cheshire Cat.

"_Bonjour_," Ash said, flashing lupine fangs. Nick threw a punch, remembering at the last minute to show some restraint. Ash doubled over wheezing, as opposed to landing somewhere near Tokyo. Nick grinned smugly as he waited for his friend to straighten himself. Usually punching Ash in the stomach was akin to hitting an armored car. Perhaps there was some advantage to this strength thing after all.

"All right, I deserved that," wheezed the Canadian, gingerly rubbing his stomach. "Just promise never to do that again, all right?"

"I promise nothing," Nick said, brushing the last remnants of snow from his face. Then he leaned back against the brick wall, arms folded, and regarded his friend. "So what are you doing out here? I would have thought you and Danielle would be off making puppies."

Ash laughed. "Give me a break, Nick. We've been at it twice a day, sometimes three if she's gotten her hands on some espresso. Not that I'm complaining, mind you." Ash grinned but at the same time was rubbing the back of his neck in a surprisingly sheepish gesture. "No, I'm not complaining at all. I'm actually just killing time while I wait for her to get off on lunch break. She said she'd meet me back at the apartment if she could get off." Ash looked down at him. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm just with some friends. And they're probably wandering where I've gone off to."

"Have fun," Ash said, whacking him lightly on the shoulder and starting down the street.

"Hey," Nick called. Ash paused and glanced at him over his shoulder. "If Danielle doesn't show up, why don't you come find us? I'm sure we won't go far."

"I'll take you up on that." Ash gave him a small wave. "See you around."

"Mm," said Nick, returning the gesture.

"Nuriko!" Miaka's voice drifted from around the corner. Nick smiled and went to go meet her. The men were all ready leaving, Keisuke holding a bouncing toddler on his shoulders.

"They're going to see the trains," Miaka said, wrapping her arms around one of Nick's and smiling up at him. "So you get to take me away."

"Where too?" Nick asked, covering Miaka's hand with his own.

"Hmm…how about Holland?"

Nick laughed.

"Well that's an odd place to go, _cherie._"

"But I loooove Dutch chocolate!"

"You love any kind of chocolate," he said, wearing a long suffering expression that was completely ruined by the fond smile that crossed his face.

"Touchy," Miaka said brightly. The Frenchman was a bit taken aback. Touchy? Didn't she see his smile? Her words sounded too cheerful to be complaining, but with Miaka… He looked down at her and only saw the same bouncy happiness in her round beautiful face. She turned a questioning smile up at him.

"Pardon. But. What did you say just now?"  
"Touchy."

"But…oh." He laughed as he suddenly understood. "Touché! It's touché you little fool," he said warmly, lightly rubbing his knuckles into her scalp.

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"_Oui," _he said, pulling her into a hug. Without even questioning, Miaka returned the embrace.

"I've missed you so much, Nuriko," she whispered.

"I've missed you too." _I've been missing you since the day I was born. _The thought rose unbidden into his mind and he knew it was true. Even though he loved his family dearly and he shared an almost lover's closeness with Ash, Miaka was the one he was born to live for. It was a strange feeling, but a good one. Almost like coming home again.

A loud growl from the region of Miaka's stomach broke the tender moment. Nick pulled back and stared wide-eyed at her belly. Mon Dieu! How much could she fit in there?

"Mmm! I sense spaghetti and meatballs, bread sticks, and…" she sniffed the air. "Tortellini! There's an Italian restaurant this way!" The exuberant Miaka charged forward, nearly knocking Nick over in her haste. He quickly matched her stride to prevent from being dragged and shook his head.

"I have the feeling I'm going to be flat broke in under an hour."  
"Don't worry! Taka gave me a credit card!" She held the object jubilantly in the air as if it were the Holy Grail. Nick whistled. Knowing Taka, it probably was. That alone showed his utter devotion to Miaka far beyond the point of sanity. He almost envied the man.

---

Nick glared as the door slammed shut and there was the definitive click of a lock. Italians were the rudest people in the world. They shouldn't have advertised an All You Can Eat Buffet if they didn't' really mean it. If Miaka weren't here with him, he would be half-tempted to charge back in and punt the repulsive manager through the ceiling. It would probably land him in jail or get him deported, but it would be worth it. A pat on his arm dragged him from his murderous thoughts.

"Don't worry, I'm full now! They had the best food ever." Miaka giggled and put a hand over her stomach. "And the twins liked it too."

"Now, where too?" Nick said, turning his back on the restaurant.  
"There!" Miaka said pointing across the street. The purple haired man instinctively tensed until he saw the clothing boutique. A sign hanging in the window exclaimed they had the latest fashions from famous french designers. Nick liked clothes under any circumstances, but this shop particularly piqued his interest. As they came closer to the shop, he eyed some of the designs displayed. He doubted any of his family's work would be in here, except in the form of overpriced imitations.

They poked among the dresses for a bit and Nick couldn't help but admire the honest down to earth functionality of the clothing. Even if they were a bit on the plain side he couldn't help but mentally let a hem down here and spangle it with beads there.

"This is perfect!" Miaka exclaimed. He turned to find her holding up a Chinese style dress with birds sewn in gold thread flying across maroon fabric. He cocked his head to one side, studying the dress against the shade of her skin.

"I think it's a bit too deep a color for you," he said, taking the outfit from her and examining it more closely. "And it's much too big."  
"It's not for me, silly!"

Nick frowned, clutching the dress to him. Did she still want him to be that way? He thought they'd already fixed that.

"Miaka…I'm not…the way I used to be."

Her eyes widened, then she smiled. The expression was wide and fake and made something twist in Nick's heart.

"But you can be!" she said, grabbing his shoulders, smiling. "You can be that way. You don't have to deny it anymore. I really really liked you the way you were!"

Nick tried to smile. He stared at the dress again. He really couldn't remember the way he used to be. Just…a vague memory of pain. Confusion. Of not knowing his place in life.

"Try it on!" Miaka said. "Please, Nuriko." Her eyes were glassy and her fingers clenched against his shoulder. A knot formed in Nick's throat. How could he tell her no? He couldn't. But…he…he couldn't go back to the way he was. He wasn't like that anymore. He didn't want to be that anymore.

"I…"

"There you are," said a gruff voice from behind him.

"Look out!" Miaka screamed. Before Nick could react, muscled arms locked around his chest and lifted him into the air. He glanced back and saw the glint of lupine fangs.

"NO!" Miaka cried. A spot on Nick's chest blazed with a red hot fury. He yanked an arm free and jammed his elbow back into Ashitare's ribs. The beast grunted and dropped him, Nick spun around but the man grabbed his wrist roughly.

"Wait!" the Seiryuu growled. "Nick!"

"Not this time!" Nick screamed, wrenching his hand free and slamming it across Ashitare's face. The creature stumbled back. Nick hit him again and again, then grabbed the thick, muscular arm in two hands and pulled. Ashitare flew across the room, taking out a close rack before smashing hard into a wall, cracking the plaster and leaving a trail of blood as he slid down, unconscious. Nick panted, flexing his fingers, adrenaline surging through his body.

Suddenly Miaka glomped onto him, he could feel the roundness of her belly as she pressed against him. She was sobbing,

"I was so scared, Nuriko! I thought I would lose you again."

Suddenly the world came crashing back down. Nick put a hand to his mouth and stared at his friend, crumpled on the floor. Mon dieu!

"Ash!" he gasped. What had he done? There was blood. Blood coming from his head. Dieu. Dieu. "Miaka, Miaka we have to call the hospital!" he said, trying to gently pry her arms away from him.

"Nuriko. You may not remember, but he's a bad guy! He killed you before! We have to get out of here. If he gets up…"  
_If _he got up? Dieu. Nick slipped from Miaka's hold and turned to face her, gently grabbing her shoulders.

"Non, non, _cherie._ You don't understand. That was then. This is now. It's okay now."

"No it's not!" There were tears in Miaka's eyes, streaking down her face.

"You haven't changed. Deep down, you really haven't. And neither has he. I don't want to lose you again!"

"You won't, Miaka. I promise. But we have to get Ash to the hospital." Nick started toward his friend. A small hand grabbed his wrist.

"No! Don't! He might attack you!"

A knot twisted in Nick's throat.

"He won't," he said, trying to keep his voice level. "He's unconscious."

"I don't trust him. You can't trust him." She tugged at him. "We've trusted the Seiryuu before and—"

"This is not back then!" Nick snapped, twisting his wrist from her grasp and rounding on her. "This is NOW. I am not a foolish cross dressing little boy and he is not evil! Get it through your head!"

Miaka paled. Took a step back. Then another. Her eyes wide and brimming with tears. A tremble wracked her and she placed a protective hand over her belly. Nick's heart tore.

"Mi…Miaka. I'm sorry I…"

"I…I…kn…know I…" Then her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fell.   
"MIAKA!" Nick caught her before she hit the floor, holding her in his lap. She was pale. So pale. "Miaka! Miaka! Non, Miaka! Don't go. I'm here."

"What happened?" a sales clerk cried, rushing over to them. "What did you do?"

Nick stared at her. Feeling his world shatter. What had he done?


	36. Don't Look Back

To Meet Again:

Part 37

Don't Look Back

* * *

He slammed on the brakes. The feeling rocketed through him, tingling down his spine and the back of his legs. Once again the jag skidded but somehow Jason managed to keep it from going off the road. There was a thunk and he was jolted slightly as Joshua's head hit the back of his seat.

"Do you fucking mind?" Joshua bellowed from the back. Jason did mind. Quite considerably since there had been one to many car accidents all ready for his peace of mind. But something had frozen him. Some unnamed fear was creeping tendrils of ice up his spine. A name fluttered on the edge of his lips.

"Miaka…" Andy voiced in a breath. Jason glanced into the rearview mirror to see the singer's eyes had gone wide, his face pale. That was it. Miaka. His heart began to beat with the rhythm of the name. Miaka. She needed his help. She was injured somehow.

"Shit, let's go, man," Joshua said. Jason almost stomped on the gas. Almost sent the car bursting forward despite the dangerous curves of the mountain. They would make it, if he did. Somehow he knew that, even if they went full throttle, fate would be on their side. To save…to save someone they loved.

But this was what he was trying to escape from, wasn't it? He couldn't go back now. There was no turning back from meeting her. Fate would come rushing at him and he couldn't help but think he was going to get crushed by it this time. Jason shook his head. He'd been watching too much TV or something. Fate. As if such a thing existed. Next thing he knew he was going to try and call a psychic. Whoever—this Miaka person was—he couldn't know if she were injured or not. The fact Andy knew was probably some mass hallucination or something. Something in the air. Post traumatic stress disorder, yeah, something like that.

"No," Jason said. He refused. His heart wrenched inside him but he tried to ignore it. After all, this was just too weird. A random name that sounded familiar? Some kind of strange shared memory? It was like someone had released the happy gas.

"Whaddya mean, no?" Joshua said.

"We have to go to Denver, don't we?" he said, easing on the gas again and staring intently at the road. "That's in the entirely opposite direction." How did he even know where it was? It was some intuition. Some sense trying to pull him back, which was absolutely ridiculous. In the rearview mirror, Jason saw Joshua lean forward, looking right into Jason's eyes. His face was more serious than Jason could remember seeing it.

"Look, I know it sounds batshit crazy," Joshua said. "But Miaka…we gotta go and help her. I'm freaked out, too but you know we gotta, so turn the car around."

"You're just not thinking clearly," Jason said, picking up his speed a little so he wouldn't be tempted to turn back. Despite the incline, the Jag ran smoothly, purring under his fingertips as it slid upwards along the asphalt. A small voice in the back of his mind that wasn't overshadowed by worried and doubt told him he had to get one of these.

"The hell I'm not!" Joshua said.

"You are the one who is not thinking clearly," Andy put in. "Please, turn the car around. It's urgent. I know that you know this is wrong. I know that you can feel it as I do."

"What I can feel is that I'm in the car with a bunch of lunatics." Which wasn't true. It really wasn't. But damnit he was not going to get suckered back into everything. He just wanted to be left alone. To find some spot up in the mountains somewhere. A little log cabin tucked away in wilderness where no one could find him.

"We are going back. We are going to her," Andy said, and Jason, looking in the rearview mirror could see his eyes narrow. He should. He knew he should. It was his duty. It was what he was born…why he was born…

"No we're not," Jason said through his teeth. Don't look back. Don't look anywhere but ahead. Behind was only temptation. Suddenly Andy was there, pressed up against the back of Jason's seat so he could see him out of the corner of his eye. The singer's hand shot forward and gripped the wheel. Jason's eyes widened.

"What the hell are you doing?" he snapped.

"Andy, knock it the hell off!" Joshua shouted.

"I will not knock it off," Andy said, glaring at him. "You can run if you want to. It's what you seem to be good at, Mitsukake. But I am going back Miaka so you can either turn this car around or I will do it for you." Had he totally lost his mind? They were on a mountain for god's sake!

"Sit back, will you, before you get us all killed!"

"Wrong answer," Andy said, and jerked. The world whirled. The tires squealed and the stench of burning rubber filled the air. Jason's life seemed to flash in front of his eyes. What a sad little life it was. Always alone, always hoping and always being pushed away, shoved to the side. He had just gone to his highschool years when the world settled again. They were idling by the shoulder of the road.

Andy was breathing hard right in his ear, his hand still locked on the wheel, knuckles white. With a strange sort of frozen calm, Jason unlatched Andy from the wheel and put the car into park. Then stared out the window, trying to get his frozen brain to work again. There was a boulder sitting in the ditch, he noticed, a trickle of water running down it, fed by the snow cap further up the mountain. The water getting in the cracks of the boulder, slowly deepening them, working its inevitable way into the heart of the stone. If he wasn't scared shitless he could perhaps wax philosophical about it.

"We seem to be turned around," Lao Wei said, his voice a little higher than normal. Jason looked over to see the skater had gone pale, his hand trembling just slightly. Jason put a gentle hand on his shoulder in mute sympathy.

"I swear to every god that was ever made, Andy, you pull that shit again and I will fucking kill you," Joshua said.

"It worked, didn't it?" Andy fell back into his seat, resting his head against the back. "Sometimes you have to take extreme measures."

"There is a difference between extreme and foolish," Lao Wei said, his voice quiet but seeming to fill the whole car. Jason looked at him. For some reason he looked older. Maybe it was the angle the pale light of a cloudy afternoon hit his face. "And you cannot force a person to change his mind just by turning around."

"But it worked…" Andy said, sounding confused, petulant. And he used to be the ruler of a country? No. No he didn't used to be anything but Andy Wong. Jason was letting himself go, was starting to lose himself in this insanity. He had to get out, get away, before it got any worse.

"Well you're welcome to go back." Anything to get out. Even if he had to hitchhike back. There was a place a few hours down the road, he knew, well a few hours by walking anyway. A little gas station. He could use the phone there and hire a taxi and just…just go somewhere. He fumbled with the door handle, his hand still shaking. It was a moment before he realized he still had his seatbelt on.

"I, too, will not return," Lao Wei said. It surprised him with one leg out the door and he looked at the Chinese man. If anyone he figured Lao Wei would be the one to go back.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Joshua said. He sounded hurt, betrayed, as if they were crushing his heart under their shoes. It was a stupid thought since he barely knew Joshua at all. Still, Jason almost stayed, though he didn't look into the back seat, didn't want to see the expression. His fingers twitched on the door, the cold wind seeping in from outside, playing with the edges of his pant leg and freezing his shin. A gust from the other side as Lao Wei opened the door.

"Don't go," Andy said, pleading. "Hou Jun." That froze him, slipping like a sheet of ice over his heart. It could mean nothing it could mean everything but right now it meant that it was Lao Wei they really wanted. The wise, the helpful, the one who showed up on time. It was just another reason.

"I'm not Hou Jun," said Lao Wei with a smile. "I am not Chichiri. I am Lao Wei and that is all. Many thank yous for getting me this far!" He waved briefly then shut the door. Jason left to, before they tried the second option and tried to call out for him. He shut the door softly. Lao Wei was already walking down the street, but well out of incoming traffic. It wasn't hard to catch up to him and Jason did, shoving his hands in his pockets to ward off the cold and not looking back, not going back, as much as he wanted to.

He sort of wished it would snow again. It looked like it still might. It would certainly fit the mood. Of course it would help in further freezing his ass off but that was beside the point. Lao Wei said nothing, didn't even look at him. His eyes were on something distant. They said nothing as they went, it wasn't the right time to speak, Jason felt, even though there were things he wanted to say. He kept an eye on Lao Wei, though, remembering the concussion he was sure the boy had. If he fainted Jason knew who was going to have to carry him down the mountain.

Behind him he heard the slight shift as the Jaguar move into drive. He rolled his eyes. Here it came. Being chased after, bugged to go back, to stop running away, to take responsibility even though responsibility took everything from him. The assault never came. Jason heard the car roaring off in the other direction. He wanted to turn and watch it go. He wanted to wave them back and hop in, go with them. But the fact was they had left. She was more important. That's how it should be, he thought. She should always be more important which was why he was going to avoid that route as long as he possibly could.

"Do you think we did the right thing?" he asked, his damn morals getting in the way once more. Even if they weren't, what good would it do to go back and fix it? Though Lao Wei would probably be appreciated back in the inner circle. He'd always been there…or at least outside of it, hovering faintly in the background just ready to step in when someone needed help or a kind word…

And he was losing it again. Jason shook his head. The fact of the matter was, he was walking with some strange Chinese guy down the slope of a mountain. It would take them the better part of three hours to get where they needed to go to even get a taxi. This was no time to be ruminating on fantasy. Instead he should be planning, thinking about where he was going to go after this. Tom hadn't even come with him, he realized with a sort of sad finality. Even the cat had decided to go back with Joshua and Andy…back where it should be. Where they all should be…

"I don't know," Lao Wei said. Jason blinked, almost forgetting he'd posed the question. "I just know what I want to do and that is to get free. I made a promise." He put a hand to his chest as if touching his fingertips over his heart. Jason had the feeling it was more than just wanting a better education but he couldn't say what it was.

"I'll help," Jason said. Then could have slapped himself. I'll help? The whole point of this whole exercise was to get away. Was to get out of helping people, especially when he didn't know how, when he would most likely fail. What the hell did he know about citizenship? Still, though, he couldn't just leave him to wander by himself. Whoever he was, whatever he had been, Lao Wei was still a kid. Kind of like Duncan but Duncan could take care of his self. Lao Wei needed him though and maybe, just maybe, he could do something right? The blue haired man smiled up at him, it was an expression that didn't quite reach his eyes but Jason could see he was tired. Hell they both were. This day could not be over soon enough.

"I am glad you are so eager to help," Lao Wei said. "Otherwise I would have been forced to take you hostage."

Jason snrked.

"Just so long as you leave out the eyeball scoops." The words came out of left field, and he understood without understanding what it meant. Something about amazons… Lao Wei chuckled but it was a weak attempt at best. Silence fell once more except for the thud of their sneakers against the road and the occasional rush of a car. This was what he wanted to do. This is what he had to do. But still, even as he walked a tiny voice whispered in the depths of his heart to go back. Go back. Go back. He wouldn't. She would survive without him. They would survive without him. After helping Lao Wei, if he even could, he would just bury himself on a mountainside with only the trees for company.

And maybe one day they would forgive him.


	37. Yui

**To Meet Again**

**Chapter 37**

**Yui**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yo. Been a while. It's summer. Let's see what I can do with this.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own it. Don't need to. :p

* * *

Yui crossed her arms over her knees as Tetsuya continued to bang at the door. The parking lot was deserted except for an old rusted VW Bug that sat on the edge of the space. Keisuke's maybe? It had better not be. That would mean that that idiot was home and wasn't answering.

"Damnit, where is he," Tetsuya grumbled. "I don't want to spend another night in a hotel. Rates around here are crazy."

"Maybe we shouldn't have taken a taxi," Yui said, though she didn't really mean it. The alternative was having Tomo drop them off and have Suboshi stare at her the whole ride over… She shivered to think about it, wondering if he remembered, wondering what he remembered. Yui shivered. It gave her the heebie jeebies even now.

Yui sighed. A cold wind ruffled her hair. Cold as a god's hand. She rubbed her arms. She had wanted to leave that part of her life behind her. Think of it as some sort of weird dream, some bad dream. The nightmares that had woken her up for several months after hadn't helped, nor had seeing Miaka's warm compassionate face watching her every day, continually forgiving her for things she'd rather forget. The appearance of Taka had been even worse. She wasn't still jealous. She wasn't. Even though he was still devastatingly handsome even now. It just hadn't seemed fair. Miaka got her love in the end. She had everything she had ever wished for…

But Yui was over that now. Had been over that for years. All it took was convincing herself she didn't care, smiling even though she felt like— and throwing herself into school and then her job with the agency that churned out popstars like prepackaged food. And eventually—yeah, she'd gotten over it. And once she and Tetsuya had relocated to Brazil, Yui had gotten over it even more…until Tomo had fallen over their doorstep, half starved and riddled with parasites from being in the jungle. What he'd been up to, he wouldn't say. If he recognized her, he never let on, but she couldn't turn him away. Hadn't been able to. Though she had wanted to. She had wanted to scream and slam the door in his face but…

"He's not answering," Tetsuya said, sitting down beside her on the stoop. Yui nodded even though that was a really banal statement. He was probably with Miaka somewhere. She was in town now, right? With her husband and her babies and at least one other of her reincarnated seishi flocking to her like lovesick pigeons. _Over it_, Yui reminded herself, like a mantra, a religion. Repeat it to yourself and you might come to believe it. Though it could become like those nonsensical chants the Buddhists did. In the end, you couldn't understand yourself. But in the end, did it matter?

"I'm going to kill him," Tetsuya muttered. "'Come stay with me,' he says. 'I'll take care of everything,' he says."  
"Something might have happened," Yui said absently. Not that she believed it. Judging by Tetsuya's snort, he didn't either. _Probably with Miaka,_ she thought again but kept that thought firmly locked behind her lips. Yui stood and stretched her arms over her head. The mountains rose in the distance, looking like a painting or a film set.

"We…could call Julio," Tetsuya said, voice uncertain as it always was when Tomo was involved. It was like he thought she could go into relapse any moment just by being around them. That Tetsuya might inadvertently pry open some old trauma. Yui turned to smile at him, trying to redirect her sour thoughts.

"That would be fine. Might as well get out of this cold." As long as Suboshi wasn't with him, as he probably would be. Seeing him in the airport— All of a sudden, rising up on his crutch and staring at her with those blue eyes that—that pathetic expression that he was so good at. It had been like a slap, like a cold punch to the gut. She'd wanted to stop, to close her eyes and wish him out of existence. And there was that other kid who had been in the airport, too. The one who had looked at her as if she had three heads. He was a seishi too, probably, but she hadn't recognized him. Ashitare, maybe? Miboshi? Whoever he had been he hadn't looked happy to see her. Yui sighed. Would meeting her seishi again always be like this?

"Yui…" Tetsuya said. She knew what was coming before his warm arms wrapped around her. It was almost too hot but she leaned back against him anyway. She loved him, right? They were dating, right? Practically married for all intents and purposes. He wanted it, she knew, but most days she didn't feel enough like Hongo Yui, let alone Kajawara Yui.

"I'm alright," she said, patting his arm, slipping away from him. "Just call him, okay?" Yui smiled at him and made her way across the parking lot, pretended to be interested in the Bug. See? She couldn't be Miaka anyway. While her friend would have melted in Tetsuya's embrace and repeated his name like she was afraid of letting go of it, Yui just wanted to squirm away.

The fate of the Seiryuu no Miko, she guessed. The Seiryuu in general. _We're all a bunch of bastards, _she thought, crouching to examine the cracked headlight. Even Tomo, who had told her one dark wet night about how he'd left his brother behind in the children's home—had just ran away. Yui had never gotten to hear why, hadn't pressed for more. It wasn't as if she didn't care but she wasn't someone who could close a box full of pain once it had been opened.

She heard footsteps coming toward her across the asphalt and though she knew it was Tetsuya, _knew_ it, she stood and turned anyway to make absolutely sure. He was frowning, holding out the phone.

"He says he doesn't have a car," Tetsuya said. Oh, that damned— Yui took the phone from him and turned to glare at the Bug.

"You had a car last night," she said. If he was just being lazy she was going to kick his ass. He wasn't _that _much of a superstar that she couldn't. Not that she would ever let something like that stop her.

"It was my— It was someone else's car," Tomo said, sounding agitated. Funny the more annoyed he got the less Spanish he sounded. "Why don't you call a cab? For that matter, do you have any idea what time it is?"

Yui rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, _princess_," she said. "I forgot. See it's just that most _normal_ people are out of bed by eleven."  
"It's called beauty sleep," Tomo said. "You should look into it." He cackled at his own joke. Yui was tempted to threaten to shove his feathers so far down his throat he wouldn't have to worry about beauty sleep, or sitting down for that matter, for a long time—but he probably wouldn't get the reference.

"Just call a cab for us," she said, instead. "I don't have the number on hand and lord knows you should do _something _to earn your paycheck."

"Bitch, please. I'm a sensation. I've been in three magazines just this week and in the newspaper," he said and she heard the rustling of paper as if he was trying to prove the point. "Soon I probably won't even _need _you for gigs."

"Well for now you still do and if you don't want to end up singing at kid's parties for the rest of your very short lived career, you better send a cab to Seventh Heaven."

"Very well, your _Eminence_," Tomo said, probably because he knew she hated it.

"Thank you, _Tomo,_" she said because she knew _he_ hated it and hung up before he could. It was a game they always played. She would command, he would whine and threaten to get a new agent. Not that he would. He wouldn't trust anyone else to handle his contracts and they both knew it. Just like they both knew she would never consign him to children's parties. It was her career too, after all.

"I just don't get you guys," Tetsuya said as she handed the phone back to him. No, he wouldn't get it. It was a loyaty based on greed, true, but there was something more than that— a connection she couldn't explain. It wasn't quite friendship but more like—more like something— Yui shook her head. It wasn't worth thinking about. It wasn't worth trying to explain.

"It's a Seiryuu thing," she said, giving him a quick kiss. That was true enough, anyway and really, in the end, he didn't much care. He just ran his treats and sweets making business and stayed out of the way. Tetsuya kissed her back and she let him, closing her eyes and letting her hands rest on his shoulders. Even so, she often felt they were less lovers than roommates with benefits and little enough of those lately. Like they really were married. Yui found herself smiling at that and Tetsuya pulled back and smiled at her, his annoying sunglasses slipping down his nose. She pushed them up again with the tip of her finger. He had an eye condition, supposedly. She didn't much care. She didn't want to see Tetsuya's eyes anyway. _Yeah, because you might start caring about him, right?_ Said a snide voice in the back of her head. _And we can't have that, can we, Seiryuu no Miko? _

"I'm glad we're doing this, Yui," Tetsuya said and she could feel his fingers press into the small of her back. "Lately we've drifted apart but I'm starting to feel you again."

That was only because Europe had been so mind-bendingly awful with Taka and Miaka and their saccharine happiness covering everything like whitewash. One big happy family. Ha. Yeah right. And Miaka the ever loving, ever forgiving, kept asking her when she was going to get married, have children of her own, as if that was the end goal in life to everyone with the same set of chromosomes. Yui wanted to tell him this, but that was way too bitter sounding even in her head and even if she wasn't completely over it she could at least pretend.

"Yes," she said, kissing him again. "I'm glad, too." And if he knew otherwise, Tetsuya didn't let on, just smiled. She wanted to wriggle away, to run away, to leave Tetsuya behind and just hang out with Tomo who, at the very least, understood her. Not at all like Miaka would do and maybe that was the problem. Miaka was always happy and she was mostly miserable so maybe if Yui were more like Miaka she would learn something? It couldn't hurt to try.

"Oh, Tetsuya, I'm so happy," she said, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Me, too," he murmured in her ear. And she stood there, holding him as they waited for the cab, feeling more and more like a liar and less and less like herself. Whoever that was.


End file.
